More Than Friends And Brothers
by Dagmar Buse
Summary: SLASH Dr. Tommy Oliver is depressed and feeling down. Can a startling revelation from his best friend help uplift him and how will it change both men's lives? Jason and Tommy embark on their honeymoon ... and try to live their fantasy. NEW CHAPTER!
1. Yours For The Taking

_**Disclaimer: **Power Rangers, the characters of Jason Lee Scott and Tommy Oliver as well as related matter belong to Saban()BVE Entertainment. I'm making no money of their use (unfortunately ...)._

_**Warning: **Rated T FOR NOW. - This is slash – meaning it deals with a sexual relationship between two males. 'Don't like, don't read!' definitely applies!  
**Note: **In response to the PRSW 22 challenge on LiveJournal – a list of 22 themes to be incorporated in the story. This is theme #10, "Kissing In The Rain".__**  
Note II: **An adult ( explicit) version of this is being posted to various archives; if you're of legal age to be reading that (and haven't already found it), drop me a private message, including an honest age statement, and I'll send you a link. :-) The story starts during PR Dino Thunder, right after Tommy was freed from the stasis/enforced morph. Please pass the feedback box on your way out? **DB**_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 1: Yours For The Taking**

**by **

**Dagmar Buse**

It was late, and Tommy was beyond tired; the long days of having to remain in his morphed form had definitely taken their toll on both his body and mind. The kids had wanted to throw a party to celebrate his release, but thankfully Hayley had seen that he wasn't up to much of anything right now and gently but firmly sent the young Rangers back to their respective homes before leaving herself with a stern admonition to get some rest – or else.

_-And Hayley's 'or elses' are nothing to laugh about!- _Tommy shuddered at the memory of some things she'd pulled on him during college when he'd disregarded her warnings. Not an experience he cared to relive.

He revelled in the silence as he prowled through his house. It was good to be able to see once more without the filtered light through his helmet's visor; even better to touch things again, feel the smoothness of wood and steel in the kitchen, the nubby fabric covering his couch, the clear glass of a window pane. He craved nourishment as well, the smell and texture of coffee, of crisp vegetables or breakfast pancakes … his stomach growled, reminding him that it had been far too long even since the last time he'd availed himself of the liquid rations he'd consumed. However, he was too exhausted to care or even hunt for a snack. Briefly, he was drawn towards his desk, but as his hand shifted from a stack of papers – had a material as old as this ever been so smooth before? – to his accumulated mail, he stopped.

No way was he going _there_. Not now, when he still felt so raw. The longish envelope with the tasteful pink border had arrived two days after he'd been freed from his prison of amber and at least regained mobility … and for once he'd been glad he could hide behind the façade of duty and his Ranger uniform. Not that the message inside had come wholly unexpected; he and Kat had drifted towards a break-up for quite some time, but it had still reached him at a time when he'd been vulnerable.

_-Well, more so than usual, anyway.-_

He sighed, took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Tommy knew he should try and get some rest; he was lucky as it was that tomorrow was Friday and he could take another day off before the weekend. But he _had _to go back to work on Monday or Principal Randall would have his hide. _-Not that Mesogog is likely to lay off the attacks for three whole days, either!-_ But despite everything he was still too keyed up … sleep would be impossible right now, he acknowledged ruefully.

Trying to blank his mind of everything, he drifted back into the kitchen. Just tonight, he could surely permit himself a stiff drink or three for once? A bottle of brandy – a twelve-star Greek brand, the only sort which didn't taste kind of soapy to him – was far at the back of one of the cupboards, and he splashed a little into the first glass he could find. The alcohol burned slightly as he swallowed the first mouthful, and Tommy grimaced, but he nevertheless welcomed the warmth that soon spread through his stomach. Pouring himself a refill, he wandered back into the living room; darkness was falling outside, and storm clouds were gathering at the horizon. It probably was going to rain soon.

_-At least it'll save me from having to water the yard.-_

He lived too far out of town to have to worry about nosy or concerned neighbors, but habits instilled by his parents over the years died hard; wherever the Olivers had lived, there had _always _been a lush green lawn around the house – the one familiar thing linking their homes until the family finally settled in Angel Grove. Even now, his mother was wont to badger his father into yardwork every weekend. Tommy smiled briefly; he realized that his mind was focussing on irrelevancies, but it was a welcome change from the near-constant state of crisis he'd been in lately. Now if only Mesogog and his goons would grant him a little more time to recover, until he'd found his mental equilibrium again!

Tommy snagged a magazine he didn't truly want to read from the coffee table and was just about to pull a reading lamp closer to the corner he'd decided to crash in – it would hopefully at least take his mind off of things a little – when the doorbell rang.

"Dammit!" he muttered under his breath, annoyed at the disturbance when all he really wanted was some peace and quiet. A quick glance at his watch showed that it was barely nine o'clock; not all _that _late, but he wasn't expecting any visitors, so who could it be? _-Probably just one of the kids; either they've forgotten something, or it's a life-and-death question. Like, do they really have to do their homework assignments despite the recent fight. Tough luck, kids, the answer's still yes. Man, we never were that bad at seventeen!-_

He caught a flash of red fender-shaped metal next to the front door as he went over, and groaned inwardly. _-Conner. I should've known … and I have no idea how long it'll take to get rid of him quickly! He's a good kid, shaping up nicely into a capable Red Ranger, but really, sometimes he's denser than the rocks shielding the Dino Lair! At least he hasn't just barged in for once!- _ Running a hand through his hair, Tommy took a deep breath before opening the door, forcing a smile while mentally trying to find the right words to send the boy home without biting his head off. _-I'll give you exactly five minutes, kid, or I'll turn into a T. Rex ready to attack faster than you can say 'Jurassic Park'!-_

The door swung inward. "What have you forgotten _now_, Conner?" Tommy groused … or was trying to, anyway; before he could complete the simple question, he was swept aside by a veritable force of nature.

"What the _hell _is going on with you?"

Tommy just stood there, completely bemused. Not only did the storm outside decide to break loose that very moment, a torrent of rain surrounding his house within seconds, but another, no less forceful gale had entered his house and hovered before him, ready to destroy anything in its path if necessary.

That storm was about Tommy's height, much more broadly-built and was staring at him with fierce eyes that were darker than the night sky outside … and about as welcome as the rain was to the dried-out soil.

"Jase," he murmured, a genuine smile he hadn't thought himself capable of tonight washing over his drained features.

Large hands gripped his shoulders firmly, and he was shaken once.

"Dammit, are you okay? I've been worried sick about you!"

Tommy chuckled. _-I should've known.- _He grasped Jason's wrists in return – both in greeting and to loosen the hard grip. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Jason let go of his best friend after giving him a quick once-over. Slightly reassured that there was no visible injury at least, he gave Tommy his best glare. "You don't _look_ fine," he grumbled. "More like something no respectable cat would drag in – as my mother would say. What the hell happened to you this time? Bad guy, job or love life?"

Tommy grimaced. All of his friends had been surprised, a little bit envious and greatly concerned when he'd informed them of his recall to Ranger duty without them, but overall very supportive, leaving him with admonitions to call on any of them for help (or just moral support) if needed. So far, he hadn't felt it necessary, even though he missed all of his former teammates, and Jason most of all. They'd always made the best team – and not just because of their deep friendship. Which was undoubtedly the main reason why Jason had shown up so unexpectedly. Both of them could always sense when the other was in trouble of any kind, and deep down Tommy was glad that this time was no exception. What he _didn't _like was that he could trust Jason to see right through him, as usual … and go straight to the heart of the matter. Also as usual. Knowing that it wouldn't do any good to prevaricate, he allowed himself to let go of all pretenses.

"Kinda all of the above," he murmured, gesturing Jason inside.

"That bad, huh?"

"You have _no _idea."

Jason strode towards the living room – easy to do, as it was the only lit area in the house. He hadn't had a chance to visit Tommy before, but he gave the décor only a fleeting glance; there would be time for a more thorough inspection later. It hadn't been easy to clear his own schedule for a few days, but the gnawing feeling in his gut had left him little choice. When he hadn't heard from Tommy for several days, Jason decided enough was enough, put in for some leave time and drove down the coast to Reefside to check up in person on his Bro.

Waiting for Tommy to follow him, Jason was still glowering. "Right. And you didn't think to contact me – or any of the gang, for that matter? Email, phone, hell, even a damn _letter _would've been enough! Just in case you've forgotten, we're your _friends_, man – we don't hear from you when you're back in uniform, we worry!" he growled.

It _had _occurred to Tommy more than once to call his old teammates, but he'd stopped himself from doing so. For one thing, the only person who possibly could've helped was Billy – but he was on his honeymoon with Trini, something that had been long overdue, and they'd all vowed at the wedding that nothing short of the apocalypse should disturb _that_. For another, it had really been kind of … well, embarrassing if he'd had to admit that he, _the _most experienced leader of any Ranger team Earth had ever seen, had first been trapped in a giant amber bead like some prehistoric mosquito – Tommy could just hear Rocky and Zack having a field day with that tidbit – and secondly had been unable to demorph afterwards. So, he'd done nothing.

"I couldn't," he mumbled when Jason was obviously waiting for an answer. Hoping that he'd leave it at that.

No such luck.

"Why not?"

When Tommy didn't reply, just shrugged and looked away, Jason rolled his eyes heavenward at his stubbornness and grabbed his arms, shaking him once more. "Talk to me, Tom."

Tommy felt himself blush. "I, ah, I was stuck in a stasis field recently," he admitted. "And then I couldn't power down."

"What?" Jason stopped himself from asking the million-and-one questions that cropped up immediately, then drew a deep breath. Obviously, this was more complicated than he'd thought. "Never mind, I heard you. Now back off and start at the beginning." It was said evenly enough, but Tommy recognized a command when he heard one. Sheepishly, he obeyed.

At one point during his narrative, which was interrupted often by sharp questions, Jason herded him back into the kitchen, told him in no uncertain terms to sit and began rummaging through various cupboards. Within minutes, the mouth-watering smell of bacon and eggs sizzling on the stove wafted towards Tommy's nose. Once again, his stomach growled, loud enough for Jason to hear.

The one-time Gold Ranger grinned. "Hungry, eh?"

Tommy's smile came easier now. "Nah. My stomach's just wondering if I've cut my throat lately."

"Thought so. Well, I'm almost done. Where are the plates?"

"Left corner cupboard."

"Okay." Deftly, Jason transferred a goodly portion of bacon and eggs onto one, then plonked it down before his friend. "Eat. And don't stop talking."

Suddenly ravenous, Tommy was already chewing. His mouth full, he just nodded and continued his story while Jason served himself a much smaller helping. By the time they were both done, he had heard everything that had happened to the newest Ranger team since the last time Tommy had called.

"Man, _why _do you always shout 'me, me' when bad luck is on offer?" Jason grumbled, still exasperated even though relief that no lasting harm had been done was evident in his expression. "Do you _enjoy _making yourself a target, or what?"

Tommy grimaced. "Not really. It was just the way things fell – and better me than one of the kids. After all, I'm numero six – well, five this time – again; the surplus Ranger, if you will. It would've been worse if the regular team had been one person short."

Jason frowned, not liking the conclusion, but having been the 'extra' himself, he knew Tommy was right. "I guess. But couldn't you have contacted m-, um, us once you were out of that amber? If nothing else, we could've given advice or something …"

"I thought about it, believe me. Especially since the kids have seen my video journal where I told them about the other teams before … you. They probably would've accepted your help."

"Then why didn't you?" Jason was feeling slightly hurt; didn't Tommy trust them with his newest team?

Tommy laughed shortly. "Several reasons. One, they _have _to learn to function in a crisis without a mentor – like we did. If you remember, there were several times when Zordon was not there."

"Yeah, and we never liked any of them. But okay; go on."

"Two, they still had Hayley. She's as important as I to the team, if not more so."

"Mm." Jason grunted, conceding the point. "Why do I get the feeling there's more?"

Sheepishly, Tommy shrugged, toying with his fork. "Iwaskindaembarrassed," he mumbled, slurring the words together quickly. Having admitted it out loud to his best friend, though, he went on in a stronger voice. "But that aside, I wanted – no, I _needed _to know that I could function without you for once. You guys have been my safety net so long … no offense, I honestly appreciate every little bit of help you and the gang have given me in the past, but it feels good to know that I can go it alone if I have to."

"But dammit, that's the point, Tommy – you _don't _have to go it alone!"

"I know. Still …"

Jason wanted to argue, but found that he couldn't. His mind worked too similarly to Tommy's, after all, so he understood exactly why his friend hadn't asked for help. "Hmph." It was a very non-committal sound, but he managed to convey his acceptance, however grudgingly it was given, nonetheless.

"Besides, have you ever tried writing a letter, dialing a phone or using a computer with your uniform gloves on? These things aren't exactly made for delicate operations!"

Snorting a half-laugh, Jason nodded. Being unable to demorph had also prevented Tommy from pulling off his gloves, obviously, and while they were excellent protection, Zord control panels were sturdy by design and intent. Definitely a far cry from modern cell phone buttons or computer keyboards. "Okay, okay. You couldn't. Okay."

"Told ya."

"Don't sound so smug about being right for once, Bro," Jason said warningly. "Just because your reasons are good now doesn't mean they'll be the same next time."

"Trust me, I'll do all I can to see that there won't _be _a next time!" Tommy replied fervently.

"You better."

···

Having stacked the dishes in the sink, the two men wandered back into the living room at last. Finding seats next to each other, Tommy related more of what had happened to him since the last time he'd spoken to any of his friends, finding a catharsis of sorts in being able to talk to someone at last who _understood_, who knew exactly what he'd been going through from experience … and who wasn't going to judge him. The one person who would always be a constant in his life, no questions asked. _-Plenty of comments, maybe, even some – okay, sometimes a lot of – scolding, but no blame.- _

"Thanks, Jase," he murmured at last when he was done.

Jason didn't need to ask what he was being thanked for. "Anytime, Bro."

They were quiet after that, each lost in their own thoughts. The silence was not uncomfortable, though; just a companionable time of sharing a lull in their busy lives. It was nearing midnight now, and the summer storm outside had blown itself out. The only thing they could hear, aside from the gentle ticking of a clock, was the rain which continued to fall, its gentle thrum like a heartbeat on the roof. Tommy was still tired, but not so much that he wanted their evening to end just yet. Talking to Jason had left him empty, but also strangely invigorated – as if the simple act of unburdening himself to his Bro had helped halve the load of responsibility he was carrying. He smiled, closed his eyes and leaned back against the sofa's headrest, soaking in the knowledge that he was no longer alone.

He was brought back to reality, though, when Jason's deep voice asked a question that had so far fallen by the wayside because of weightier, more immediate matters.

"So, how do you feel about Kat calling it quits after so long?"

Tommy sighed and opened his eyes again. Staring at the ceiling, he took his time sorting his thoughts. At last, he answered.

"Kinda … okay, I guess."

Jason snorted. "Come on, you can't tell me you don't feel at least a little bummed."

"Well, yeah, but … I do, and I don't. We've both known that it was only a matter of time before something had to give; Kat was just the one who said it first. Whatever was between us … it was good, _very _good while it lasted, but neither one of us was ready to adjust their life to include the other. She's with a touring ballet company, and now that she's finally gotten out of the chorus line, or whatever you call it, I can't ask her to give that up to settle here in a small town like Reefside with me. Nor does she want to, really; she's too much of a big-city girl. I could tell myself I had no time for a family as long as I was caught up with research and my doctorate, but now that that's done with … I got this job, I found – much to my surprise – that I _like _teaching, and have no plans to give it up anytime soon."

"In other words, classic impasse?"

"Uh huh. So yeah, I'm sorry it's over, but there's no hard feelings. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I hope she'll be happy, like Kim."

"Even if neither of them is happy with you?" Jason probed gently. Kimberly had become engaged last year, to a fellow gymnast she'd met at an international competition. They were planning to retire after the 2006 Panglobal Games and open a training center together.

"Definitely." There was no trace of doubt in Tommy's voice. Nevertheless, he turned to meet Jason's eyes. "But if you have to know … if I had to put how I'm feeling this very moment, about everything, into one word … I'd have to say 'empty'." He thought it over again, then sighed, a sudden wave of depression hitting him.

"Yeah, empty sounds right. Like … nobody loves me, y'know?" He sounded more than a little despondent and hated himself for it. _-And if they do, it never lasts.-_

Tommy expected Jason to protest that statement and was surprised when no immediate denial was forthcoming. When he finally replied, it was not what he'd imagined he'd hear, and said so quietly that Tommy nearly missed it.

"I do."

It took a second or two for the full meaning to sink in, and when it did, Tommy came back with the most intelligent, thought-out answer he could think of. "Huh?"

Jason didn't stir from his comfortable slouch, but regarded Tommy with steady eyes. "I love you," he repeated, his voice warm, very matter-of-fact … and very sure.

Tommy swallowed. _-He doesn't mean that the way it sounded. He can't mean it like that!- _ Hastily, he collected his scrambled wits.

"Er, thanks. Ditto, I guess."

"You 'guess'?" Jason asked, amused. He'd known … suspected … he'd get a reply in that vein once he revealed his feelings to his best friend, and wasn't disappointed. If anything, Tommy's momentary slack-jawed surprise was worth letting it drop so casually into their conversation.

"I, um, yeah. You're my best friend; the brother I always wanted to have, even if I'd never met David. As close, or maybe even closer than family. Sure, I-" he gulped, "I love you, too." Tommy found himself actually blushing as he spoke the three innocent little words. Not that he didn't mean them, but he'd always thought his feelings towards Jason were something just understood, not to be put so succinctly. "It's not the same, though," he added defensively.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Jason was watching him steadily from the armchair. Tommy snorted.

"Oh, come on, Jase – you don't mean it the way you said, or might've said, them to Emily." The dark eyes never wavered, and Tommy started to squirm under their scrutiny. "D-do you?" he whispered, suddenly uncertain.

Jason tilted his head. "I've never told Emily, or another person outside my family, that I loved them."

_-Oh.-_

There was no doubt that Jason spoke the simple truth; he would never lie to Tommy about something like that. Tommy could feel his heart starting to beat like a triphammer in his chest.

"What … what _do _you mean by it, then?" he managed to croak. Damn, he wanted to play things cool, but his voice gave him away all too easily.

Jason slowly got up and went to stand directly before his friend. "Whatever you want it to mean. I don't put qualifiers on my feelings; you should know that." He inhaled deeply and squared his shoulders. "It can be just an acknowledgement of what you mean to me … or it can be more. Maybe even what you need. I know _I _needed to say it for once. Make of it what you will."

He slowly turned away and went towards the door. "But … if you _do _decide it's what you need, you're gonna have to ask for it, Tommy. All I can say is, I'm offering you whatever I can give, whichever way you want it. For once, though, you'll have to ask."

Stunned speechless, Tommy sat on the couch and watched Jason go outside. The door closed behind him with a soft snick that sounded louder than an explosion in the nightly stillness. He waited for a car's engine to roar to life, but when it didn't, he sank back into his seat, his thoughts a whirling mass of confusion.

_-Or mess.- _Yes, that was much closer to the mark. _-Jason … Jason loves me. He. Loves. ME. Oh my God.- _ Tommy didn't have to speculate about the implications of that statement; he _knew_, just like that. His best friend, one of the – no, _the _finest person it had ever been his privilege to know, was offering him the moon on a silver platter … and he'd thought he was just reaching for a distant light.

_-All I ever wanted, or thought I might need. Just like that. Jase, why the hell are you doing that to me? Why now?-_

The answer was immediately apparent. _-Because I needed to hear it. Because I'm at a time in my life where I could definitely use a morale booster, if nothing else. Well, it was that, and more. So much, much more …- _The weight of loneliness and responsibility that had weighed so heavily on Tommy only a few hours ago suddenly melted away, leaving him buoyed and freshly energized. Briefly, he considered what it would mean if he took Jason up on his offer. _-Companionship. Caring. Sharing … everything – our lives, our dreams.-_

On the heels of that came the realization that it would probably also involve sharing their bodies. And while a small part of Tommy wondered why he wasn't freaked out by the idea, a bigger part of him was getting excited by it. He grinned briefly to himself as a certain part of his _body _suddenly expressed a definite interest at the thought of getting up close and _really _personal with his best friend.

_-Okay, so no problem there,- _he mused with a quick glance down into his lap where that interest was centered. _-Except for the actual mechanics; I have less than no experience with a guy. Unless Jase has …- _Tommy frowned at the thought that Jason might have shared himself with someone other than him before. He wasn't exactly jealous, but admitted to himself that he didn't much care for that idea. _-Don't care, bull. I hate it!- _He nodded in the darkness. _-Okay,whatever. Doesn't matter if neither of us knows what to do how or when and to whom. We're both intelligent people, we'll figure it out. And at least I'm a trained scientist; I know how to do research. Which might even be fun, who knows.-_

Startled, Tommy realized that all unwittingly, he apparently had come to a decision. _-The only question is, do I dare ask for it? And what, exactly, will I be asking for?-_

Only one way to find out. Slowly, he unwound himself from the sofa cushions and followed Jason outside. He found him at the corner of the porch, gazing out into the woods some distance behind the house. It was still raining, and the breeze had blown moisture in that very direction – Jason's hai was wet, and his red-and-black polo shirt clung to his sculpted torso. Tommy found himself going dry-mouthed as his mind suddenly played a fantasy of him peeling that wet shirt off those impressive muscles … and running his hands and mouth over the warm, tanned skin thus revealed.

_-Definitely no problem there.-_

Still, it wouldn't do to rush things. Not now, when the outcome was as important in its own way as every Zord battle he'd ever fought. _-Maybe even more so.-_

Tommy approached Jason with measured steps. His best friend continued to look outwards, so Tommy stopped just within touching distance – close enough to reach out if he wanted to. _-Not yet.-_ The two men remained silent, cocooned in the darkness and rain, but not really separate, either. The next few moments would decide whether that last bit of distance would remain … or be closed forever. At last, Tommy spoke. A few things needed to be clarified first before he made his final choice. _-And it has to be my choice. Not yours, not anybody's … mine.- _

"What exactly would I be asking for?" he queried softly.

Jason weighed his answer carefully. "My help, with whatever. My support, for anything. An end to being alone for both of us." A short pause, then – "My love. In all things … and all ways."

So there it was, out in the open. So simple, and yet so complex.

_-Like Jason himself, really,- _Tommy realized. A chasm to be crossed, but with all the means to bridge it. A challenge greater than any he'd ever faced in his life, as a Ranger or as a person.

He was not the man to turn away from a challenge. Never had, never would.

Decision made.

Tommy swallowed the lump in his throat – not of apprehension, but an indication of the importance of the step he was about to take.

"I'm asking."

Slowly, Jason turned and faced him. He was pale, but his eyes seemed darker than ever before. Yet there also was a flame flickering in their depths – a flame that could both burn or heal. Fleetingly, Tommy was reminded of something Kat had said once when she was feeling a little more fanciful than usual – that depending on his mood and the situation, Jason's eyes were like lightning captured in pools of midnight. _'A girl could drown in them if she's not careful.'_

_-Not just a girl. And to hell with careful!-_

"Are you?"

Tommy just nodded mutely.

"For what?"

"Everything," he replied, feeling very sure all of a sudden. "I'm asking … for _you_."

One little word; only three letters. But it encompassed everything – dreams, life, the future.

Jason's smile lit up the night like the moon emerging from behind the clouds.

"I'm here, Bro," he said softly. "Yours for the taking."

And _that _made Tommy hiss sharply as his mind conjured up images he wasn't quite ready to deal with yet. "Whoa. Slow down, Bro."

Jason chuckled as he, too, realized what he'd just said. "Um, yeah. In our own good time, huh?"

"Well, definitely not tonight," Tommy answered ruefully, feeling more than slightly giddy. "For one, this is not something I want to rush-"

"Anticipation is half the fun, I agree," Jason interrupted with a cheeky grin. The bold, tell-tale look he swept all over Tommy before coming to rest below his belt sent a wave of heat through the Black Dino Ranger. Tommy scowled as he felt himself blush, but returned the grin with interest.

"That, yes – but more because I'm totally bushed, and I want to fall asleep _after _… whatever, not when my head hits the nearest pillow." They both laughed, finding their easy camaraderie again in that simple act. Still grinning, but less suggestively, Tommy continued. "And for another, I just wouldn't feel comfortable with starting something so important when there are other things I have to worry about at the moment."

As he'd known he would, Jason followed his train of thought immediately. "Uh huh. Your little problem of leading a Ranger team – again – and saving the world from some bad guy; also again," he nodded. "It sucks, but you're right. Unfortunately."

"Sorry."

"Not your fault, but let me tell you, Bro – your timing stinks!"

"_My _timing?" Tommy sputtered. "It wasn't _me_ who brought this up in the middle of a crisis!"

Jason winked. "I didn't hear you complain a minute ago," he said innocently, then reached out and laid a hand on Tommy's shoulder. Not close to his arm, as he used to do before, but rather near his neck, just at the edge of his collar. It would take just a tiny shift in posture from either man to turn it into a caress. "Don't worry, Tommy. I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer."

Tommy covered Jason's fingers with his own, bringing them almost into full body contact.

"I know. So can I."

The two stared at each other for long seconds before either moved. Afterwards, they could never say who took that first – or maybe final – step, but somehow or other they ended up with their arms around each other. Definitely a hug, not quite an embrace yet.

It was slightly disconcerting to feel a broad, muscular body against his instead of a willowy, slender one, but Tommy found that the strangeness was more than compensated by the fact that Jason and his mouths were almost at the same height. _-Much like Kat and I, really.- _Easily, Tommy banished the memory of his last girlfriend. Kat had been tall for a girl, and somehow in her it had been a distraction to _not _have to bend down for a kiss. With Jason, it was just … right. Instinctively, Tommy moistened his lips.

Once more, Jason seemed to be reading his mind. "Are we gonna kiss, or not?" he murmured, managing just barely not to sound provocative.

Exasperated, Tommy rolled his eyes. Really, sometimes Jason and his sense of misplaced humor could be worse than Rocky and Zack combined at killing a guy's mood! "Shut up."

"Make me."

Tommy did just that, with the most effective method he could think of. Or rather, he stopped thinking altogether and simply closed his mouth over Jason's. There was a moment of disorientation as the inevitable differences between a man and a woman registered at the back of his mind – firmer skin, the rasp of five o'clock shadow, less immediate yield – but they soon ceased to be relevant as their lips opened to each other and their tongues touched for the first time.

Tommy felt a spark race from his mouth right into his groin and moaned into the moist caress, only to hear an answering sound rise from deep within Jason's throat … and a thrilling thrust of hips against his own, with a burgeoning bulge that was both scary and exciting at the same time. He couldn't help himself, he thrust back, letting Jason feel that he was having much the same effect on him as well. Another dual moan rose. However, as if it was enough for now to demonstrate that they were _both_ equally excited by this new development, they eased back in unspoken agreement.

They continued to kiss, though, until they were both breathless.

"Wow," Jason murmured with a soft gasp as soon as Tommy reluctantly freed his mouth.

"Yeah." Tommy, too, was panting slightly, and he had a sneaking suspicion that with only a little provocation he was going to break into the goofiest grin ever. _-Who cares? Jason and I just kissed! 'Wow' doesn't even begin to cover it!-_

He looked into his best friend's eyes, and the grin _did _appear – mainly because Jason's expression was a mix of pleasant surprise, mischief, bemusement … and love. A myriad of emotions threatened to overwhelm Tommy, and he searched for a distraction. _-Something nice and safe. Like … the weather, or something?-_

"You're all wet," he remarked as if noticing it for the first time. Sure enough, not only had the rain which the wind had blown under the porch roof nearly soaked Jason's shirt, but his hair was also gleaming damply, and before their kisses had heated his skin Jason's lips had been cool with moisture. As a result, Tommy's own shirt was now sporting damp patches.

The dark eyes sparkled wickedly. "Duh. What did you expect?"

There was something in Jason's too-angelic expression that set off a warning bell in Tommy's mind, but he was feeling too dazed to notice. He just looked at his friend confusedly.

"Expect from what?"

Jason freed one arm from around Tommy's waist and gestured grandly into the night. The rainfall had dwindled to a soft drizzle, and the first few stars were peeking through the vanishing clouds. Soon, it would be another clear, dry California day. He'd pay for this eventually, he was sure, but it was too good a line _not _to use – both to distract Tommy from the rest of his woes again, and more importantly, to lower the intensity of emotion still simmering between them. One little spark would be enough to send their good intentions to take it easy to hell in a handbasket, and while he _wanted _things hot between them, now wasn't the time. _-Besides, payback is gonna be much more fun from now on. I hope!-_

Lips twitching with barely-restrained amusement, Jason told him. With an appropriate, if totally out-of-tune sing-song voice.

"We're kis-sing in the raaaiiin …"

Only Jason's finely-honed reflexes saved him from Tommy's instant, outraged wrath. What remained … was laughter.

_To Be Continued …_


	2. Sexy Beast

_**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no money made.  
**Note: **In response to the PR Slash Writer 22 challenge on LiveJournal; themes # 1(animals) and # 16 (photograph). Okay, this really precedes the first chapter; as some readers have commented on Tommy's quick acceptance of Jason in the first story and I, too, felt it needed a bit more, this is what grew from this. (And just by the way, I made up the name of the fraternity mentioned; if there is an organization of that name, my apologies; no infringement was intended!) Please don't forget to pass the feedback box on your way out? **DB**_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 2: Sexy Beast**

"I think I'm at the wrong school," Hayley said à propos nothing at all when Tommy let himself into their shared apartment. He'd spent most of the afternoon at the library working on a term paper while she was having a get-together with some sorority friends to celebrate her birthday. He was taking her out to dinner later in honor of the occasion, but hadn't wanted to intrude on a half-dozen girls. "Or maybe the right one; I haven't made up my mind yet." Her voice was caught halfway between a- and be-mused; Tommy couldn't quite tell which.

"Oh? Why's that?" he asked, only half listening as he made a beeline for the fridge and some soda.

"Because nothing like _that _ever gets done here," Hayley replied somewhat acerbically.

Curious now, Tommy walked over to the living area. He plonked down onto the couch and snagged a leftover cookie. "Like what?" he mumbled through a mouthful of crumbs and chocolate chips. Hayley was folding the wrapping paper from her presents into a neat stack to recycle, smiled wryly and jerked her head at something glossy on the coffee table.

"Take a look. I really don't know what Corinne was thinking, giving me _that._ It's either a hint to live it up, or a not very subtle slur on my current lack of a social life."

"Oh? What'd she give you, some kind of, um, adult material?" Tommy wanted to know. He wouldn't put it past the girl; despite her brains, she was definitely the 'adventurous' type – if you wanted to be polite.

"I almost wish she had," Hayley grimaced comically. "At least that would've been fairly straightforward. No, it wasn't – and it doesn't explain why she gave me _that _for a gift."

Now extremely curious to know what _'that' _was, Tommy reached over and picked up the item in question. It looked much like a magazine – slick, colorful and squarish. However, the number 2002 written large on the top sheet indicated otherwise. "A calendar?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with that? It _is _January; not such an unusual gift, I'd say …"

"Wait until you've taken a look inside," Hayley commented drily. "Take your time; I'm getting ready for dinner."

"Okay." As the redhead disappeared towards the bathroom, Tommy took another sip of his soda, then flipped to the first page.

···

_"This calendar is brought to you by the Epsilon Delta Chi fraternity at the University of San Diego, CA, in collaboration with and in aid of the wildlife preservation program of the San Diego Zoo."_

He raised his eyebrows as he read the introduction; Epsilon Delta Chi was Jason's fraternity at college until recently, and he couldn't help but wonder if his best friend knew about this. _"No animal or person was harmed in the production process, and all human subjects volunteered to be photographed. Proceeds from the sale of this calendar will go to charity. Enjoy, and buy another one for a friend!"_

Well, it certainly sounded as if Jason, as a new alumnus, ought to know about this – he usually was first in line when it came to charitable projects. However, Tommy did a double take as he read the next page.

**_" _ΕΔΞ _proudly presents – Sexy Beasts!"_**

"Oh boy." He snickered. Not only was Hayley so _not _into wildlife photography, he had a sneaking suspicion from her comments that the pictures would also include a lot of skin – and human skin at that. No wonder she was so dubious about the gift!

Tommy turned towards the first page, and found his suspicions confirmed. He whistled softly. Miss January was a gorgeous blonde in a tiny leopard-print bikini, lying on the ground before a lush green fern and with a ginormous snake draped all over her. February showed a muscular African-American man, clad only in tight jeans and boots, gentling a palomino horse somewhere in the mountains. March had a slender Asian girl who reminded Tommy a little of Trini 'kissing' a colorful parrot, her trim body wrapped in an almost-transparent muumuu; April had a Latino, or maybe Native-American-looking guy watching an eagle soar through the sky. He, too, was well-built and not afraid to show it in skimpy cutoffs … with the zipper nearly undone all the way.

"Nice," he breathed, admiring the near-professional quality of the photographs as much as the pictures themselves. They were perfect compositions of splendid animals and beautiful bodies – nothing overtly sexual like in a _Playboy _spread, but _very _suggestive and without a doubt food for some steamy fantasies. _-For both men and women, too,- _Tommy noted approvingly. By displaying alternately girls and boys with the animals, the calendar at least made an effort at not being sexist and would definitely appeal to a larger audience.

He lingered a little over the July picture – a luscious redhead swimming with a dolphin. The girl didn't seem to be wearing clothes at all, but it was hard to tell through the water obscuring her curves. Still, he couldn't help but wishing just for a moment he'd been present when she'd climbed out of the pool!

Hayley breezed through the den towards her bedroom. "Like what you see?" she threw at him in passing, a knowing smirk in her voice, but the door clicked shut behind her before Tommy could answer.

"Hell, yeah," he murmured, a little dry-mouthed. There was no romantic involvement at all between him and Hayley and they liked it that way, but it had been a _long _time since he'd gotten to spend some private time with Kat, and he wasn't the type to go looking for someone else while in a relationship. Even if she was dancing in Europe most of the year and he was doing graduate work at university in the US. "What's not to like?"

_Everyone _in the photos was extremely attractive – and that was saying something, as Tommy was used to being around good-looking people. None of his friends was what he'd call model-pretty, but both as a group and individually they _were _easy on the eyes. All of them, in their own ways – from Billy's subdued geek chic once he'd ditched his overalls to Kat's classy elegance, Trini's grace, Zack's flair, Tanya's flamboyance … Kimberly's cute prettiness. Tommy mentally let his friends pass review as he went for another soda. Not that he was particularly thirsty, but at the moment he was feeling just a tad deprived, and he needed the distraction this small break was giving him.

_-Man, I could make a series of pictures like this with all of the gang. Starting with our spirit animals, of course. Although, it'd be kinda hard to come up with a sexy setup for Rocky or Adam.- _He grinned to himself as he tried to imagine a semi-nude Adam getting up close and personal with a frog. _-Cold and slimy isn't exactly the stuff dreams are made of; nor is huge 'n' hairy!-_

He picked up the calendar again. Maybe later tonight, just for kicks, he'd try to come up with fitting animals for the other Rangers; the Dino- or Thunderzords also didn't quite fit the bill. Smiling, he turned to the October page, one of the few double-sized pictures, like a centerfold … and froze.

"What ... the … _hell_?"

The picture was the only black-and-white photograph, but the starkness of the colors actually enhanced the nearly completely nude male body. The man was crouching before a basalt rock formation, half kneeling in such a way that nothing incriminating was visible, but it was quite obvious that he wore only the barest minimum – namely a skimpy loincloth that was also slit up to the waistband. And _nothing _underneath. He was reaching up to a ledge halfway up the rock, displaying incredibly sculpted muscles as he did so. Just out of his reach lay a huge lion, eyes gleaming against the fur of his mane, one paw outstretched … but it wasn't the magnificent cat that caught Tommy's attention.

It was the familiar sight of the tanned, muscular body, dark hair and intent profile of his best friend.

"Jason?" he breathed incredulously, feeling as if somebody had punched him in the gut. Instinctively, he leaned forward for a closer look. No, he wasn't mistaken – the man in the picture _was _indeed the one-time Red Ranger. Tommy fumbled dazedly for his drink to take a swallow. His mouth had gone so dry, he _needed _the liquid to be able to mutter to himself.

_-Bro, you didn't … when I call you next time, you're gonna tell me it's just a weird resemblance … right?-_

Tommy shook his head as if to clear his brain of cobwebs. A part of his mind was demanding that he make that call today, right _now_, and ask whatever had possessed Jason to pose nearly nude; another part told him not to be an idiot – it wasn't any of his business, why was he getting so het up anyway and hey, charity … and yet another part was definitely sitting up and taking notice. Unfortunately for Tommy's peace of mind, _that _part was aided and abetted enthusiastically – and instantaneously! – by a certain portion of his anatomy. While his reaction as such didn't particularly bother him (after all, he'd always prided himself for being pretty openminded about most things), Tommy felt rather thrown by the fact that he reacted like he did over a provocative photo of _Jason_.

His best friend. A fellow ex-Ranger, martial arts expert, teacher-in-training. Who just happened to have admitted to Tommy during their last visit that he was bisexual.

_-Which means that most likely he'd be more than slightly interested in the fact that I just got an instant hard-on just from looking at a picture of him. Aw, MAN!-_

He was jerked out of his thoughts by Hayley's reappearance. "I'm ready if you are, Tommy." He didn't know whether to be grateful or pissed at the interruption, but wisely chose the former. For one thing, it wouldn't be fair to Hayley to spoil her birthday, and for another … Tommy really didn't want to think about this at the moment. _-Procrastination. Gotta love it just now!-_

"Sure; give me a minute to get my jacket," he murmured, hoping that his voice didn't betray his inner turmoil. When his friend gave him a funny look, he scrambled to salvage the situation. "And to put on a dress shirt; you look so nice, I wouldn't want to appear shabby beside you." He didn't even have to fake his comment, or his smile – Hayley _did _look good in the jewel-colored patterned dress she'd chosen, and it was a relief to hurry to his own room for a short while with a plausible excuse.

As he changed his flannel shirt for a thin white turtleneck and sports coat, Tommy forced his mind into more neutral straits. For the moment, he'd concentrate on making dinner as pleasant as possible for his newest friend; he'd deal with anything else later.

_-Much later!-_

···

The two returned from a lavish Chinese buffet after a couple of hours and as they both had classes early the next day didn't linger over a nightcap as they would've done on a weekend. Instead, they just said their goodnights and retired to their respective rooms. Tommy mechanically prepared for bed. Now that he was alone, in privacy and sheltering darkness, his thoughts once more went back to Hayley's calendar. He fought the temptation to go back to the living area and take another look for the better part of an hour, but when sleep proved elusive, he let his curiosity get the better of him and got up again. Opening the door as quietly as possible, he checked for any sign of his roommate. Hayley's bedroom door was firmly closed and he couldn't hear a thing beside the usual nighttime sounds, so it was probably safe.

Padding out into the darkened living area, he waited until his eyes adjusted to the weak light coming in through the window, then quickly went over and grabbed the calendar. It was probably inevitable that he stubbed his toe on a chair leg, and he cursed silently to himself. Nevertheless, he retreated as fast as possible, barely remembering to not slam his door behind him.

Safely back on his bed, he switched on his nightlight at the lowest setting, got comfortable and once more thumbed through the publication.

_-It's just for completion's sake,- _he told himself. _-Hayley was ready before I'd taken a look at Miss November and the December guy.- _But while the pictures were every bit as good as the ten preceding ones, they didn't hold his attention for long. So, feeling only slightly guilty, he went back to the beginning.

"I'm _not _taking another look just at Jase," he muttered softly … while at the back of his mind, a pesky little voice asked drily who he thought he was kidding.

To distract himself, and to prevent his twitching fingers to go straight to the October spread, Tommy took a much closer look than before at the January page. The blonde really _was_ beautiful; he didn't really care for the snake, but there was something quite stirring about the way the reptile clung to every one of her curves ... and the way the forked tongue stopped maybe a quarter-inch before her cleavage.

"Whoa. I wonder how she felt during the photo shoot. If it had been Kat in her place, would she have been able to smile like that?"

Mentally exchanging the blonde's features for his girlfriend's, Tommy had to admit that Kat probably would have smiled as well – not quite as provocatively, maybe, but if she knew _he _was looking at the picture … _-Um. Yeah.- _He whistled under his breath. Kat usually seemed to be demureness personified, but he knew that deep down she had a mischievous streak as wide as anyone's. Not unexpectedly, he felt his body react, and quickly went to the next page. The guy didn't do much for him, nor did he evoke anything but a fleeting comparison to Zack, based mostly on general build and skin color, so Tommy was able to continue reasonably fast to the Asian beauty who'd reminded him of Trini earlier. On closer inspection, the resemblance was not quite as pronounced, based mostly on ethnicity and the same curtain of raven tresses, but Tommy still couldn't help but imagine his serene friend in the see-through garment.

He felt himself twitch in an area that had never twitched at thinking of Trini until this day. He quickly forced himself to inspect the other pictures, but when the redhead with the dolphin almost instantaneously took on Kimberly's features and he grew fully hard, Tommy knew he was in trouble. _Deep _trouble.

"Man. I've _never _had fantasies of my friends before," he groaned, letting the calendar drop to the floor as he flung himself onto his back. "Why now?"

The answer was obvious, and could clearly be labeled 'October'. _-Jason.-_

"I'm gonna kill you, Bro, for doing this to me!"

It was an idle threat, and he knew it. Because right on its heels the little voice at the back of his mind commented smugly, _-… right after I've had my way with you!-_

Shuddering, Tommy closed his eyes. Jason might be interested in both girls and guys, but that was no guarantee that he'd be interested in _him_. They were best friends, as close as brothers, and people didn't _have _fantasies – especially steamy ones like the ones beginning to swamp Tommy's mind – about their brothers, did they?

_'But you're not brothers,' _that insidious voice whispered. _'You may have wished you were, but you're not. Ergo, there's nothing wrong with having a little fantasy about Jason. Not when he truly is a sexy beast!'_

Tommy groaned. Damn that voice for being so infuriatingly _right_! He clenched his hands in the sheet, trying not to make a grab for the calendar.

_'Go on. Take another look. A real close one. Nobody here but you, and you know you want to.'_

"No," Tommy grated, but he was fighting a losing battle. "Not when I don't know if Jase minds or not!"

_'He won't. Not when it's you.'_

Which was probably true; they'd never denied each other anything, especially not when it came to emotional support, but somehow, this was different.

_'Different how?'_

He had no answer. _-It just is,- _he threw defiantly at the little inner devil egging him on, but got only a derisive snort in return.

Stubbornly, Tommy lay back, battling the increasing desire to turn up the light, unfold the October picture and ogle Jason's nearly-nude body.

_'And what a nice body it is, too,' _ the voice purred. Tommy swallowed even as he mentally concurred. After all, he'd always admired his friend's build – compact, muscular and rivalling a statue, almost. All covered by smooth, tanned skin that was both soft and firm (as he'd learned during numerous friendly wrestling matches) and rarely marred by a tan line. Unbidden, his mind flashed back to warm summer nights when the two of them had gone skinny-dipping at the cliffs near Angel Grove, and to hot days spent sunbathing in that quiet corner of the Scotts' back yard where swimming trunks were definitely optional. Tommy had always avoided outright staring, but he couldn't deny that he knew perfectly well how Jason looked naked … even aroused. After all, they'd been teenaged boys with healthy hormones; sharing secret fantasies about Kimberly, Kat or Emily, to name a few, had been a guilty pleasure for _both_ more than once.

However, things had always ended there. They'd laughed their erections off when they occurred, and never taken things further than that.

Butterflies suddenly did a kamikaze flight in his stomach as Tommy realized he wouldn't be able to stay in that safe zone if he picked up the calendar again. _-Not gonna do it. No way, nohow!- _he resolved.

_'Yeah, right.'_

"I'm not," he repeated, but his tormentor just laughed. _'Stop fooling yourself. You are going to look at Jason's picture again; if not tonight, then as soon as you can get your mitts on the calendar again. Might as well get it over with now, when Hayley doesn't miss it yet, and there won't be any awkward questions.' _The voice paused, then gave him another mental nudge. _'Go on, do it. Who's gonna know, anyway?'_

_ -I will …-_

_ 'So? Who's it going to harm?'_

"My self-respect," Tommy murmured half-heartedly, but he could feel himself weakening further.

_'Screw self-respect. Wouldn't you rather screw Jason?'_

That astute, if rather crude observation sent Tommy over the edge. Finally conceding defeat, he picked up the calendar from where it had fallen to the floor and opened it to the tenth page. He unfolded the picture and stared, drinking in every detail of his friend's semi-kneeling body. Somehow or other, the lion disappeared from the image and Tommy saw himself in front of Jason … equally nude, and just waiting for that outstretched hand to touch him. In a hardened, eager place where it would feel incredibly good to be touched.

Moaning quietly, shivering with sudden arousal, Tommy shifted the picture for better light from his nightstand … and slid his own hand into his briefs.

···

"I can't believe you jerked off over that silly picture of me and the lion," Jason murmured, slightly red around the ears as Tommy finished his recall. His friend shrugged.

Yeah, well, it _was _pretty hot," he admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Which was sort of the intention of the whole photo shoot, wasn't it?"

Jason grinned, getting over his mild embarrassment. "What can I say – sex sells? Anyway, not really. The animals were supposed to be the main feature; we guys and the girls were just icing on the cake, sort of."

"Uh huh. Sure. And people bought the reprint run the next year for the wildlife photography, nothing else," Tommy replied drily. He gave his Bro a look that dared him to contradict.

Jason's grin turned wicked. "Of course," he deadpanned. "We _did_ raise a five-figure sum for the Wildlife Project, after all. Not everyone is a pervert like you."

Tommy sputtered. "Pervert? _Me_? I wasn't the one posing as a Tarzan wannabe with that lion!"

"No, but you were the one getting dirty thoughts about me! _And _flying solo afterwards!"

Tommy regarded Jason intently. He didn't seem to be put out by that fact – quite the contrary, in fact, if the laughter in the dark eyes was any indication. And after the kisses they had shared last night, it looked as if there would be very little need for any more 'solo flights' for either of them in the near future. With that realization, the last traces of guilt Tommy had experienced over his one-time fantasy melted away faster than ice cream in the sun. Time for another confession.

"Well … it's the main reason why I could accept your declaration last night so easily," he said quietly, reaching for Jason's arm across the table. "That's what you wanted to know, right? If I hadn't known already that I could be physically attracted to you, given the right circumstances …"

"… things could've gotten very awkward," Jason replied, instantly understanding. He covered Tommy's hand with his own. "Guess I'll forgive you then."

Relieved, Tommy smiled. "For, ah, taking matters into my own hands?"

Jason winked. "Uh huh. But only if you promise me one thing."

"Like what? If you're thinking of getting a picture like that of me for another calendar, forget it. I'm not such an exhibitionist like you."

"Says the guy who insisted on wearing nothing but black pants for the Team Ninja competition back in high school," Jason smirked. _-I'll just wait until you're comfortable with the idea of getting naked with me, Bro.- _"Nah. Might be fun, but I guess I can live without that." _-For now.- _

Not quite trusting the lusty gleam he could detect in Jason's expression, Tommy smiled back warily. "What, then?"

Slowly, Jason reached out and drew Tommy's head towards him. Expecting a kiss – and not at all reluctant about receiving it – Tommy opened his mouth slightly in invitation. However, Jason stopped just when their lips were brushing against each other. His breath was warm on Tommy's face, and Tommy shivered as he felt a fresh surge of excitement settle in his groin.

"No more fun of that sort without me." The deep, husky voice was both playful and demanding, and Tommy could only moan in reply as he closed his eyes and leaned forward that final fraction of an inch.

"I promise …"

Whatever else he might have said was swallowed in a passionate kiss.

_ To Be Continued …_


	3. Something's Gotta Give

**_Disclaimer: _**_Not mine, no money made etc._  
**_Note: _**_In response to the LJ PRSW 22 challenge. Theme # 14, obsessive. (The title is filched from the Jack Nicholson movie, but there's no connection, sorry!) This starts a three-chapter arc, so hang on, folks!_**_  
Warning:_**_ Strong language, mentioning of m/m sexual situations, skirting NC-17, so think hard before continuing to read! If you do, though … please pass by the feedback box on your way out? **DB**_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 3: Something's Gotta Give**

He couldn't stop thinking about it.

'It' being the situation between him and Jason; something would have to give, and soon.

_-About fucking time, too!-_

He grimaced inwardly at the unintentional double entendre as he sloshed towards the shore. He'd hoped a nice, bracing swim in the lake near his uncle's cabin in the mountains while he was waiting for Jason to come back from a supply run would help distract him from his near-obsession with Jason and their love life – or rather, the continued lack of same – but no such luck. All the cool water had done, really, was serve as yet another, completely ineffective cold shower with the dubious benefit of a little exercise. And what he _didn't _need right now was the lassitude following in the wake of physical exertion … because it inevitably was accompanied by fantasies about long, leisurely hours spent in bed, or lazing on a blanket in the sun.

_-Preferably with Jase. Shit.-_

Tommy knew that he and Jason were inexorably moving towards intimacy, was waiting for it, really, but calling what they would likely be doing just 'fucking' didn't seem to be right somehow. He hesitated to say or think of it as 'making love', though, either; those words conjured up images of flowers, scented baths and whatnot – the kind of things Kathad preferred – that _also_ didn't seem to fit him and Jason.

_-Well … me with Jase, anyway.- _After all, he'd had no problem indulging his former girlfriend/lover's wishes; had even enjoyed creating romantic scenarios as a prelude to some hot loving. Like that time they'd met up on the East Coast while he'd still been racing … He resolutely turned off that particular train of thought. Kat, or any other _girl_ for that matter, had no place in this new, exciting … terrifying relationship with his best friend.

And it _was _terrifying, at least to a degree. Tommy had thought long and hard about what becoming lovers with Jason would entail, and while the emotional aspect wasn't going to be a problem – he _did _love Jason, no doubt about _that_ – it was the physical expression of his feelings that more often than not scared the bejeesus out of him. He already knew that he could get turned on by his best friend (and had had the fantasies to prove it), and so far, sharing kisses and the occasional grope/makeout session had been very pleasant. But anything beyond that …

_-The trouble is, I'm having less than half a cue at best what it's going to be like!-_

Vigorously, he towelled himself dry while his mind continued running in the same well-worn circle. They'd agreed to take things slowly, at least in the beginning, and living a couple hundred miles apart had certainly helped with that – the best they could manage was an occasional weekend, whenever Jason could spare the time to drive up to Reefside. Tommy, of course, had until recently been busy with his team of young Rangers, but they'd lost their Powers in that final confrontation with Mesogog … and as Anton Mercer was himself again now and the kids out of school and away at college, there no longer was an excuse _not _to progress with whatever their relationship was going to be. For a while, Tommy was content to reconnect with Jason on other levels; adult life _had _managed to inevitably draw them apart to some degree. A visit back to Angel Grove over Christmas break had helped, as had regular contact via phone calls and the internet during the intervals between meetings, until they were as up-to-date on their lives, thoughts and dreams as they had ever been during their school days. Which was all to the good, really; they'd both missed the closeness they used to share, and they had it back now.

_-Yeah … now.-_

Now it was spring break, though, and both Tommy and Jason were getting impatient with the situation they found themselves in.

_-Frustrated, too.-_

Oh yeah. Tommy sighed, tossed his towel to one side and lay down on his blanket. It had been a long time since he'd had any kind of intimate contact, after all, and he was definitely beginning to crave more than steamy kisses and the sole companionship of his good right hand. Especially when Jason was staying over at his house, thinking nothing of wandering around half-clothed, sneaking kisses and more whenever he could. To his credit, while Jason usually was the one to initiate things, he never pressured for anything Tommy wasn't ready to give; the new intimacy between them was entirely delightful, true, but things _couldn't _go on like this. They either would have to leave things as they were right now, or take the next step. Going back to what was before was no longer really an option, as far as Tommy was concerned, and he feared that they might lose something irreplaceable were they to try.

_-No way am I losing Jason as a friend. Before I let that happen, I'll seduce him myself if I have to!-_

The problem was, he had no idea how to go about it.

···

Tommy shifted on his plaid and groaned as he remembered some ineffectual attempts on his part to research the matter of male/male sexual relations. The scientific texts – what few of them he could get hold of – had been too clinical for his taste; there was nothing in them about the depth of trust and feelings he shared with Jason and which played such a major role in their mutual attraction to each other. Sure, there was the physical aspect as well; after all, if he'd never seen that provocative photograph of his best friend, he'd never have thought about becoming Jason's lover in the first place. However, Tommy seriously doubted that he could ever consider becoming intimate with just _any _guy just because he was good to look at; there _had _to be more. Just as he'd never even considered sleeping with a girl just because she happened to be pretty.

In his moments of soul-searching over the past few months, Tommy had come to the somewhat startling conclusion that he possibly _might_ be comfortable in a relationship with his other friends – namely Zack, Billy, Rocky and Adam – if the situation arose, but it would be more like what he'd learned was called a 'buddy fuck'. Jason was the only one with whom he shared that indefinable _more_. And the text books and articles just didn't cover _that_.

So, he'd turned to other literature.

_-Literature, my ass. Gay porn is what it was. Books, pictures, the works.-_

The memory of Hayley's accidental discovery that he had stored a number of explicit gay web addresses on his computer still had the power to make him squirm and blush.

_"Why the heck are you looking at gay porn sites?" the redhead asked without warning. They'd met at his house to work on some bit of morpher technology, and without thinking he'd given her permission to use his personal computer. "I didn't think you'd get kicks out of this crap!"_

_ "I don't," he replied curtly, mentally cursing himself six ways to Sunday and back. Why, why hadn't he remembered to clear his web history?_

_ "Then why have you bookmarked so many of them?"_

_ There was no way he could explain it to her, not without a great deal of preparation anyway, so Tommy said the only thing he could think of, hoping that she couldn't see his blush in the dim lighting of the former Dino Lair. "None of your business, Hayley."_

_ She turned towards him, eyes alight with curiosity. "Oh, really?"_

_ He should've known prevaricating would set her instincts on fire, but for once there was nothing he could do about it._

_ "I mean it, Hayley. There is a reason, yes, but no, I'm not going to tell you. So leave it be, okay?"_

_ She opened her mouth as if to comment, then thought better of it. Apparently, something in his voice or expression told her he was serious, and she wisely decided to let it rest. Only until she found a better opportunity, probably, but right now he'd take whatever he could. It wasn't that Tommy was ashamed of his feelings for Jason, but as long as their relationship was still sort of in limbo, he would not discuss them with anyone, friend or no friend._

_ "Riiight," she drawled, clearly intrigued, but thankfully let the matter drop. Instead, she swivelled back towards the computer screen to call up the site she'd wanted originally. Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Tommy threw himself into their research with fresh vigor._

However, the porn hadn't helped, either – even less than the scientific texts, really. Sure, Tommy now had a clearer idea of what went where, of possible techniques and positions (along with an embarrassingly large amount of unwanted information about toys and kinks), but what he'd read or seen in pictures and videos had as little to do with him and Jason as the dry facts he'd gathered before.

Again, what was missing was the emotion. If not for that, there was no way he ever would've contemplated a sexual relationship with _any _man.

_-I was quite happily hetero, thanks very much. And while at one point I possibly may have been a little curious once or twice, in theory anyway, I'd never, ever have thought about acting on that curiosity if Jase hadn't told me he loves me. ME. Unconditionally and completely. Wow.-_

Which made all the difference in the world.

Difference. There was that word again – the one that was giving Tommy so much trouble. While Katherine had been his only lover until now, he didn't think he would have any problems about getting intimate with another girl … or at least not be obsessing so much over it. However, Jason was very definitely _male_. Despite his preference for both genders, there was absolutely nothing even remotely feminine about him, and he sure didn't fit any kind of stereotype Tommy had read or heard about.

_-Well, he has good taste in clothes and decorating,- _Tommy mused with a slight grin as he turned on his blanket to let the afternoon sun dry the front side of his trunks, but that was probably due to Mrs Scott's influence – Jason's mother _had _worked as an interior decorator for a large furniture store a few years ago after all. No, that train of thought was leading nowhere, and Tommy abandoned it unhesitatingly. However, he still was no closer to a solution to his problem.

_-How do I go about getting Jase to do more than kiss me? And what exactly do I mean by 'do more', anyway?-_

···

Tommy was still pondering ways and means when Jason returned at around five o'clock. He helped carry in the groceries his friend had brought, then waited until he'd changed into more casual clothes. He snuck speculative glances at him whenever he thought Jason wouldn't notice as they then prepared dinner in companionable silence. Tommy decided once more that he liked what he saw – from the stylish haircut to the loose pants and shirt encasing a body he knew was not only fit and healthy, but also very attractive. In fact, he'd always admired Jason's muscular build, sometimes even wishing his own more rangy leanness was as sculpted as his Bro's.

_-I wonder … is he as turned on by me as I was by him when I saw that picture?-_

The memory of masturbating over the infamous calendar photo caused Tommy to feel a faint surge of arousal, and he had to turn away from the counter where the two men were dealing with their dinner dishes, lest Jason wondered what he was thinking about.

"Penny for your thoughts," Jason's amused voice broke into his reverie.

"I'm not sure they're worth that much," Tommy demurred, swallowing surreptitiously. He willed his beginning erection to subside; not an easy task when even that rumbling sound sent shivers down his spine.

"I'm sure they're worth much more, Bro," Jason replied warmly. "You know that I value your opinions … on anything."

"I do," Tommy said, blushing slightly at the implied compliment. "It's just … nothing."

Jason hung up his dish towel over a chair back. "'Nothing' wouldn't have you so nervous," he observed. "Think I haven't noticed how antsy you've been ever since we got here yesterday? What's up?"

"I, uh …" This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for, and yet now that it had arrived, Tommy found himself at a loss for words. He couldn't just come out and ask Jason to take him to bed or whatever, now could he? Helplessly, he stared into the dark eyes which regarded him intently … and a little bit worriedly. "Nothing," he repeated nonetheless. Fresh nerves managed what his willpower couldn't; he felt himself go limp again.

_-If I could only decide whether that's a good thing or not!-_

"If you say so." Jason's reply was casual enough, but Tommy was aware that the discussion was only shelved, not abandoned. A part of him welcomed it, _wanted _his obsession to end by bringing everything out into the open, but another was more than a little relieved at the momentary respite. To gain some more time and to gather his wits, Tommy suggested they take their after-dinner drinks out to the porch. Jason agreed readily, so they decided on some of Tommy's Greek brandy, filled their glasses and sat down next to each other on the front step, letting the evening calm wash over them. However, not even the spectacular sunset over the mountains could soothe Tommy's jangled nerves. He actually flinched when Jason's deep voice broke the stillness.

"Having second thoughts?"

"About what?" Tommy asked dumbly, hoping that the gathering darkness hid both his involuntary reaction and his embarrassed blush. As usual, Jason could read him perfectly. Was he really _that _obvious?

"About us," Jason answered, suddenly serious. "Tom, I know you well enough to see when you're uncomfortable or nervous about something. And you _are_ – please don't try to deny it, okay?It can't be Ranger business anymore, because that's over; you say your job is going great, so it's not _that_ either. Nobody we know is sick, in trouble or dying, so that pretty much leaves you and me, and what's between us. Or maybe what _isn't_; I don't know." He paused to let his words sink in, then continued more softly. "I'd kinda hoped that we could use this weekend to get closer.I mean, this is the first time we've been together just by ourselves, with practically no chance of being interrupted by anyone …" Jason again waited a few heartbeats; when Tommy didn't comment he went on, his voice now hesitant. "These past few months, you didn't seem to have any complaints about kissing me, with me touching you more often and … um, intimately, but if you're not, I need you to tell me." He laid a hand on Tommy's thigh, garnering a startled glance.

_-Aw, man!- _Tommy felt the warmth from Jason's head radiate outwards, infusing his whole body with gradually-rising heat. _-That feels soo good … and soo scary!- _He swallowed hard.

"Look, I know I kinda sprang my feelings on you last year. At the time, you seemed to be okay with it, but if you feel that you don't feel the same after all and no longer want to go any further, that's okay with me. I'll understand."

Jason smiled a little sadly. He, too, had pondered their relationship, the direction it was taking and how to develop it further, and hoped that by initiating physical contact beyond the occasional friendly hugs he hadn't overstepped some invisible boundary. In fact, fantasies about finally becoming intimate with his best friend had occupied most of his waking thoughts. Hiding a sudden fear that he'd been too aggressive, Jason removed his hand from Tommy's knee and offered what he imagined was both an apology and way out if that was the case. "I … if I've made you uncomfortable in any way lately, you'll have to say so, Tom. I'm not a mind reader; if you want me to back off, just say the word. No hard feelings, okay? We can just go back to the way we used to be. It'll be enough." Which was perilously close to being an outright lie, but Jason hoped that Tommy would at least agree to remain his friend.

"No!" That was the one thing Tommy _was _sure about. It had taken him long enough to acknowledge that he loved Jason enough to want a physical relationship with him, but now that he had, he wasn't about to lose the closeness they'd achieved just because he suddenly had jitters.

"Going back to just friends _won't_ be enough," he replied firmly. "Not for me, and I don't think for you either." He turned towards Jason and grasped the broad shoulders. "I meant what I said – I love you, and I want you. That hasn't changed."

"Then what's the problem, Tommy?" Jason asked, searching the chocolate-brown eyes only a couple of inches from his own. Tommy _seemed _to be confident enough, but he could still detect a trace of uncertainty. "I thought we could finally act on our feelings, but if you're not ready … do you want to wait some more? I can do that … even if I'm about to die of frustration," he admitted with a wry grin.

Tommy grinned wryly. "You wouldn't be the only one," he muttered, releasing his friend. Sighing, Tommy rubbed his neck before he grasped the strong fingers and returned them to their former position. Somehow, they landed much higher up on his thigh, but he didn't mind anymore. Quite the opposite, in fact. "Jase, that _is _the problem – I want more, but I don't know what, or how!"

Jason sighed, relieved. _That _he could deal with. If only Tommy hadn't let go of him – it would've been so nice and easy to just lean forward and … _-Stop it right there, Scott. Talk first, kiss later.- _Heeding his own advice, he cleared his throat before asking.

"Well, what doyou _want_ to happen?"

Images from the porn he'd watched during his research flashed through Tommy's mind, leaving an equal mix of excitement and discomfort in their wake. They also made him feel first warm, then downright hot in some rather interesting places. He stifled a moan as he imagined Jason moving his hand just a few inches higher, towards his crotch.

"I dunno. More than what we've done so far, but exactly what, I have no idea." He sent a half-defiant, half-challenging glance to Jason. "You're the one with all the experience; you tell me what _you _want!"

Jason had admitted once during the past months that, unlike Tommy, he was no virgin with men; he hadn't gone into detail, but Tommy knew that he'd had more than one partner. _-Not like me, who's only ever slept with Kat!- _Which helped him not at all to alleviate an uncomfortable feeling of inadequacy.

Jason snorted. "I don't know what you've been imagining, but my 'experience' isn't all _that_ great, either!"

"You have more than I," Tommy said quietly. "With girls _and_ guys."

To his credit, Jason looked a little abashed. "Well, yeah, I guess." He drew a deep breath. "Okay. Just to clarify things – what I've done or not done with girls isn't relevant for us, right?" Tommy nodded mutely; he may have had only one lover, but he felt reasonably knowledgeable about regular heterosexual sex. And he didn't _want _to know about the _ir_regular kind. Jason returned the silent gesture, then continued. "Right. So, guys … for the record, I can still count the number of male partners I've had on one hand. What I've done with _them_ … shit, this is either gonna sound totally crude, or way too clinical!" He grinned briefly, dark eyes twinkling with sudden humor. "Any preferences?"

Tommy twisted his mouth into an answering wry grin. "Whatever floats your boat. Just say it."

"Fat lot of help you are," Jason mock-grumbled. "Hmph." Blunt, then; no sense in beating around the bush with clinical expressions or euphemisms. "I've never fucked a guy, nor let myself be fucked. Everything else … been there, done that."

"Meaning what?" Tommy blurted out without thinking.

Jason gave him an incredulous look. Did he really _have_ to spell it out? _-Apparently so. Sheesh.- _"Blowjobs and jerking off," he said succinctly. "Both mutually and separately."

Tommy felt himself redden at the graphic words, but he refused to shy away; after all, he _had _asked for it. At the same time, he experienced a strange dichotomy – on the one hand, he was glad that there was one thing Jason hadn't shared with anyone else, and on the other … he felt plain jealous that his friend had done all that with somebody already. _-Someone who wasn't me, that is!- _Then, the rational, scientist's part of his mind kicked in. At least one of them knew what to do. Which, all things considered, was kind of comforting.

"Why not?" He checked himself. "That is, if you don't mind telling me; if it's none of my business, just say so."

"Nah, it's okay," Jason replied easily enough. "It's like this … my first time with a guy was while I was still in Geneva; I'd just started to suspect that I might be attracted to both men and women, and I was simply curious whether I could be wrong. I wasn't," he said drily. "Anyway, for an experiment it was enough to jerk off together. Well, each other, the second time. I just wasn't ready for more at the time. Then, at college … things eventually progressed to blowjobs. I was attracted, I was horny – actually mostly both – but again, it was enough to take care of the itch. After that, nobody."

The little voice in Tommy's mind spoke up again. _-Interesting.- _Then followed it immediately with a smug _-GOOD!- _Impatiently, Tommy shushed the intruder.

"So that's the reason why you didn't, um, go all the way?"

Jason smiled faintly at the cautious expression … and at his best friend's obvious curiosity. "Some of it, yeah. But the main reason why I held back … none of my partners mattered enough to give that much trust to." He faced Tommy full-on, suddenly completely serious.

"It's different between us, though. With you, it _would _matter. Because _you_ do."

···

A strong sense of déjà vu washed over Tommy. It was that night last spring all over again; once again, Jason had laid his heart open to him, to do with as he wished. It was enough to bring a huge lump to his throat.

However, this time Tommy knew exactly how to react. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and drew Jason against him, hugging him for all he was worth. Burying his face against Jason's neck, he struggled to find his voice.

"Aw, man …"

Jason just _had _to chuckle; it was such a _Tommy_ thing to say! Nevertheless, he returned the embrace with interest.

"Yeah," he murmured huskily.

It was the most natural thing in the world then to kiss, and they did. Their lips met, opened and their tongues entwined, meshing together in a mutual expression of comfort, desire and love.

Both were panting slightly when they separated, and Tommy was thrilled when he recognized the renewed glitter in the midnight-dark eyes so close to his own. He knew that his own expression was likely a mirror of Jason's.

"You matter to me, too. More than just about anything or anyone."

Jason smiled and kissed Tommy. "Thanks."

"Mmhmm." Suddenly hungry for more, Tommy leaned back in, capturing the warm mouth with his own. This time, _he _took the initiative, gently forcing his tongue deeper into the moist cavern in a way he'd never dared with Kat for fear of appearing too aggressive or overpowering. However, Jason was more than a match for him; he could hold his strength perfectly against Tommy's, and while he readily yielded to the oral assault, he could sense Jason's own power held back just below the surface. It was a heady feeling, and all at once Tommy knew what he had to do.

Reluctantly, he ended the passionate kiss and waited a few seconds until they both caught their breaths.

_-Something's gotta give all right; until now I just had no idea how good the giving could be!-_

"Let's do it," he murmured, resting his forehead against Jason's. "Now. Tonight."

Jason inhaled sharply. It was exactly what he'd been thinking himself, what he'd dreamed of and wanted with every fiber, but to hear Tommy offer it, just like that …

"Are you sure, Bro?"

Decisively, Tommy nodded once. "Yeah. Absolutely."

It was the right answer. Slowly, Jason let go of Tommy and stood up. His eyes never left his friend's face as Tommy followed suit, even though he desperately wanted to see whether Tommy was experiencing the same surge of arousal that he was. If he didn't get out of his chinos soon, they would be visibly tenting. Any doubts about the other's reaction were dispelled, though, when Tommy pressed Jason against the pole holding up the porch roof and kissed him again; even through several layers of pants and underwear, Jason felt a hardness to match his own rub against his hip. He groaned his delight and excitement into Tommy's mouth, then ended their kiss with a teasing lick and nip against Tommy's bottom lip.

"Slow down, Bro, or I won't be good for much for a while," he murmured. To illustrate his meaning, Jason reached down, put his hand on Tommy's butt to hold him precisely where he wanted him and thrust once. Tommy gasped as their erections met full-on and blushed, but didn't pull back. Jason grinned, pleased, before easing back just a little. _-I'd better take my own advice!- _"Besides, I'd rather not cream my pants; the stains are hell to get out, and I _don't _want to have to explain 'em to Mrs. Keppel when I get home tomorrow," he quipped with a wink.

Tommy snickered with what little breath he had left. Jason's elderly neighbor/landlady was nice, but incredibly nosy, and the eyes behind her sequined bifocals missed very little. Besides, his own jeans had grown uncomfortably tight, and he couldn't wait to chuck them.

"That'll teach you to bring an extra pair next time," he smirked. "Dark ones, too, so any stains won't show."

Jason sent him a smoldering look as he bent briefly to pick up their brandy glasses, barely refraining from wiggling his posterior in a not very subtle invitation. "Actually, I'd prefer not to stain my pants at all. Sheets are much easier to wash," he murmured suggestively. He held out one hand to Tommy – his Bro, his best friend, his lover-to-be.

"Shall we?"

Confident in his decision now, knowing that he'd reached the end of his obsession with what might be – because in a very short time, it would finally happen – Tommy nodded and took the outstretched hand.

"Yes."

Together, they went inside, letting the cabin's door fall closed behind them.

_To Be Continued …_


	4. Show, Don't Tell

**_Disclaimer: _**_Someone else's sandbox; I'm only playing here._  
**_Note: _**_In response to the LJ PRSW22 challenge; theme #19, safety. This is where the rating goes through the roof in the uncut version … for the curious. -evil grin- As my boys get to have some fun at last, I hope you will, too! The feedback box, as always, is by the exit, if you please? **DB**_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 4: Show, Don't Tell**

Never had a bed looked so large.

Tommy had only thrown back the covers as he got up that morning, and the slightly rumpled white sheet gleamed invitingly in the ruddy glow from the setting sun coming through the open window. A soft breeze fluttered the curtains and carried with it the scent and sounds of spring – grass, mountain air, the faint tang of water from the nearby lake, all punctuated by the sleepy chirping of birds as they sought perches for the fast-approaching night. It was peaceful, and had seemed rather calming while they'd still been sitting outside on the cabin's porch. Now, though … he couldn't help but wish that he'd taken the time to make his bed earlier that day. Not only did it look vaguely untidy (even though his housekeeping habits, or lack thereof, were the last thing on Tommy's mind), it practically _screamed _'come on; lie down on me'. Which was the purpose why they'd come here, really, but the obviousness was nonetheless unnerving.

The bedroom door clicked softly shut behind them, and even though it had been his own suggestion to take the next step in their relationship, Tommy felt the butterflies in his stomach start another dive-bomb. He gulped, but wouldn't back out now. He didn't know whether it was pride, ego, plain stubbornness or desire that held him rooted against the nearest wall, but whatever it was, he clung to it with all his might.

Enviously, he watched Jason wander over to the window. Why was he almost paralyzed with nerves – again – while his best friend seemed so casual about everything? _-I'm not afraid of Jase! What, then? Just the unknown – what we're gonna do? I guess so,-_ he sighed inwardly.Tommy fought against his incipient panic as Jason drew the drapes partially closed, casting the bedroom into dimness. They could still see each other clearly enough, but at least the bed lost some of its dominance. Tommy drew a shuddering breath, willing himself to either move or at least say something, but before his brain connected to his throat or leg muscles, Jason spoke.

"It's kind of unreal, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

Tommy heard more than saw Jason's smile. "Us. Here. Together in a bedroom … at last."

"Um, yeah," he stammered, but Jason didn't seem to hear.

"I mean, I've waited so long for this … wanted it – wanted _you_ – so much … and now that it's finally happening, I almost can't believe it." There was wonder in the deep voice, as well as a note of relief and satisfaction, but most of all the same warmth that had always been there for Tommy whenever he'd needed Jason's support. That realization succeeded in calming the butterflies, and Tommy felt an answering smile form around his mouth.

"Yeah." He was still standing immobile by the door, but some of the tension left his back and he managed to relax a little. "But it _is _real …"

"I know. I don't think I could stand it if it weren't," Jason said. "I've been here" – his gesture encompassed both the bedroom and the two of them – "so often in my dreams and fantasies, only to wake up somewhere else and alone … I'm almost afraid to say or do anything in case I'm _still _dreaming."

_-Oh. So I'm not the only one having kittens – Jase is, too? Whew.-_

"You're not," Tommy replied. "I'm as real as you … and so's this." He, too, gestured faintly towards the bed. Jason's oblique admission of his own case of nerves calmed him like nothing else could have. It also enabled him to confess his still-present nervousness. "I still wish I knew how to get from where we are right now to _there_." He nodded in the direction of his bed.

Jason chuckled softly. "It's only a half-dozen steps, tops," he teased. "For you, that is … and maybe a couple less for me." Which summed up their respective positions in the room pretty well, Tommy had to admit – but it wasn't the physical distance which concerned him. In his mind, Jason's previous experience with men made the effort to move to – and _in_to – the bed seem much less than was indicated by their distance to the soft surface in the center of the room.

"Maybe, but six steps can be a very long way," Tommy muttered, looking down towards the floor. Irrelevantly, he noticed that he hadn't bothered with socks after his swim; his naked feet were encased by a pair of comfortable, well-worn pair of mocassins – a present from David a few years ago.

_ 'So much the better,' _he heard the small voice he sometimes hated comment matter-of-factly in one corner of his mind. _'It's always awkward to take one's socks off; one less thing to worry about.' _

To his surprise, Tommy had to admit that was true; while peeling sheer stockings from a slender female leg could be exciting and sexy, he had trouble associating the procedure with a muscular, hairy thigh and plain white athletic socks. Involuntarily, he grinned and snuck a peek at Jason's feet. _-Whew.- _There would be no problem; when he'd changed out of his slacks into the light chinos, Jason obviously had discarded his stockings as well. Which somehow led to the question was else his friend wasn't wearing underneath, and Tommy blushed as he pictured Jason going commando. Surely he wouldn't?

_-Knowing Jase, he might … especially as he's taken a shower before dinner; his hair was still damp. Um.- _He swallowed as the mental image caused a definite twitch in his genitals and had to fight the temptation to adjust himself. Tommy almost blurted out his suspicion, but checked his runaway mouth just in time. No _way _was he going to ask _that_! Instead, he put forth another question.

"Aren't you nervous at all?"

The smile vanished from Jason's expression. Slowly, he came forward until he was less than a foot from Tommy.

"Give me your hand?" he requested softly, reaching out.

Slightly puzzled, Tommy complied. He found his hand grasped and guided to the broad chest.

"Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" But he had his answer almost right away. Under the black-and-burgundy polo shirt, Jason's heartbeat was fast and heavy – almost as if he'd just finished a strenuous exercise session. "Oh …"

Jason shrugged slightly. "Yeah. That's what being here with you is doing – what _you're _doing – to me," he murmured. "If I were any jumpier, I'd bolt right out."

Somehow, feeling the triphammer beating under his fingers settled the still-restless swarm of butterflies in his stomach to an occasional flutter, and Tommy relaxed at last. Instinctively, his fingers curled, exploring the warmth of Jason's skin through the thin fabric. To his astonishment and delight, he could detect a tiny disturbance in the rhythm under his palm. It gave him back some much-needed courage.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not anymore."

Jason allowed himself a relieved grin and drew Tommy into a loose embrace. "Whew."

Tommy chuckled, still somewhat nervously, but returned the hug easily enough. "That still doesn't tell me how to get from here to there." The tension between them visibly reduced; this was familiar, if new, territory between them. As long as Jason held him like this, he could feel … safe. Tommy found he liked that feeling; had missed it in the yet-uncharted area of taking Jason as his lover.

Jason placed a playful kiss against Tommy's jaw. "Well … usually, one starts with the first step," he suggested.

"Which would be … what?" _-Shit, did I just sound provocative?-_

If the friendly leer in Jason's eyes as he pulled back slightly to look at him was any indication, he had.

"I'd say … getting undressed."

_-Oh boy.- _It _was _the next logical step. Tommy had known it was coming, and yet, confronted with the immediate necessity, found himself nearly paralyzed once more. Slowly, he let his arms fall to his sides, swallowed hard … then nodded. "O-okay."

Easily, Jason smiled. "Hey, don't worry; I'm not going to rip off your clothes like some demented pirate in a trashy romance novel," he said. "Unless you want me to, that is?"

"No!" Alarmed against his will, Tommy flinched and stared wide-eyed at his best friend. "You wouldn't … would you?" His voice almost cracked. Instantly, Jason reached out and touched a lean cheek.

"No. Mind, I think it might be fun one day, when we're both equally horny and impatient, but definitely _not _tonight. Tonight … I want to, well, enjoy everything. Savor it, y'know?"

"Uh, yeah." _That _prospect was almost as alarming as being ravished would be, Tommy thought, but reckoned he could deal with 'savoring' more easily than anything else.

_'If you ever get around to it, anyway,' _his inner nemesis commented grumpily. _'Will you stop hemming and hawing and get on with it already?'_

_ -Right. Showtime.- _Sighing surreptitiously, Tommy squared his shoulders. "So, um … what … er, how …" Flustered, he spread his arms, focussing on the technicalities first. "Do you want to, um, undress me, or do I undress you, or what?" He knew from his experience with Kat that the concept of two people undressing each other simultaneously belonged into romance novels as well; in practice, arms and other body parts just got in the way and one usually ended in a hopeless tangle of limbs and clothes.

Apparently, Jason had made similar experiences, judging from his wry grin and headshake. "Nah.Granted, stripping you – or stripping _for _you – sounds kinda hot, but again, I think we'd better leave that for another time, okay?"

"Okay," Tommy agreed, trying not to let a sudden fantasy of watching Jason 'strip for him' overwhelm his going-into-hyperdrive mind. Given his Bro's general lack of inhibition, that would be quite a sight to behold … and Tommy resolved there and then that one day in the not-too-distant future he'd _want _to watch what was surely going to be a memorable performance. However, he definitely was no more ready for that than he was for the ravishing Jason had hinted at earlier. But he _could _give in to another impulse – he turned his head into Jason's touch and lightly kissed the warm palm. "Then … how …?"

Jason smiled at the kiss and trailed his fingers across Tommy's lips to the neck of his t-shirt, then down his chest to the hem. Playfully, he lifted it an inch or so and tugged once before stepping back a couple of paces. "Why don't we undress together? After all, we've done that more often than I can remember."

Ah, yes. Another safe place. While they'd never taken off their clothes in each other's presence as a prelude to intimacy, Jason was right – they _had _done it before.

"Sure."

···

Gathering his courage, Tommy gripped his shirt bottom with crossed arms. Across from him, Jason was doing the same. Resisting the impulse to actually start a countdown, he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, then pulled upwards. He was momentarily blinded by fabric, but as soon as he tugged the shirt over his head (sending mental thanks to whatever fate had prevented it from getting snagged by his ears), he looked at his friend. To his relief, Jason let his polo shirt drop to the floor at almost the same moment, and they were facing each other bare-chested.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Jason asked softly.

"No," Tommy replied, too busy with taking in his friend's smooth, muscular torso. Although he'd seen Jason shirtless many times, trained and sparred with him – not to mention gone swimming and whatnot, even touched him on a lot of occasions – for some reason it was different now. After a second or two, he realized why; for the first time except in his most secret fantasies was he looking at Jason with a specific purpose in mind. Namely, what it would be like to run his hands over those impressive muscles in a caress … and follow his fingers with his lips. His mouth went dry.

Trying not to appear completely clueless, Tommy kicked off his shoes next, barely noticing the clatter of Jason's footwear hitting the floorboards at nearly the same time. Now only a few articles of clothing separated them from total nudity. _-Four things … three, if Jase isn't wearing anything underneath. Aw, man.-_

"And now?" Tommy rasped, needing Jason to take the lead again even though his own hands were already dropping to his waistband of their own volition.

Jason shivered imperceptibly as he noticed, and it wasn't due to the soft evening breeze wafting through the window. Slowly, deliberately, he followed suit. "Now … off with the next thing?" he suggested huskily, and unsnapped the button on his fly. Tommy nodded mutely and mirrored each of Jason's movements, from pulling down the zipper to peeling off his pants and shoving them down his hips. When both pairs were puddling on the floor, they stepped out and away … directly towards each other.

To Tommy's half-shameful relief, Jason _was _wearing underwear – tight white retro boxers with a rather intriguing bulge in front. He felt his own briefs grow tight, and blushed. They were barely a foot apart now; there was no way Jason could _not _notice that his penis was already halfway stretched and filled. Especially not when the dark eyes were roaming his body so intently from head to foot.

Jason dearly wanted to just reach out and draw Tommy into his arms, to feel his Bro's skin against his own, but despite Tommy's compliance so far he could still detect some uncertainty in his eyes. It wouldn't do to go too fast; if he did, he just might scare Tommy off again. And they'd come too far today to go back now. So he contented himself with drinking in the sight of the lean, muscular body, clad only in a skimpy pair of red briefs. However, Jason _did _allow himself an appreciative whistle.

"You look good enough to eat, Bro."

Tommy gulped nervously. So did Jason, especially with the room's half-light outlining his muscles enticingly, but for the life of him he couldn't say it.

"Er, thanks."

Jason chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna do it … not tonight, anyway," he added with a teasing grin. "No promises about the next time, though – or any time after that."

The mental image and the implied assurance that there _would_ be a next time caused another definite stirring in Tommy's groin, and he shuddered slightly. Jason noticed, and hid a satisfied grin. His best friend might still be nervous, but he definitely _was _interested. The important thing now was to get him over his anxiety, to introduce him gently to the pleasures of males-only sex, and the way to accomplish _that_ was to take things as easy as possible.

_-And the first – well, next – step will be to get Tommy into bed with me!-_

To that end, Jason glanced sideways at the bed. "Shall we?" he gestured.

_-Gulp.- _"Um, right," Tommy murmured, but found himself once more unable to move. Instead, he watched Jason saunter to the far side of the mattress and place one knee on the edge. Jason then looked back at him.

"Join me, Tommy," he requested softly. "Please?"

How could he refuse _that _invitation? Silently cursing the stiffness in his knees, Tommy walked slowly to the opposite side of the bed. He sought the dark eyes across the double-sized expanse, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to do now. His first time with Kat had been laughably easy in comparison! "Uh, do we get under the cover, or …"

"Nah. It's warm enough not to, and it would only get in the way later, don't you think?"

"I … I guess …"

Jason smiled reassuringly. "Let's just lie down together, okay? Like we always used to do on our camping trips ... on our sleeping bags?"

_-Oh. Okay, I can do that.-_

"Sure."

Gathering his courage, Tommy sat down and swung up his feet, feeling by the dip and movement of the mattress that Jason was doing the same. They nearly collided in the middle, but somehow got their legs sorted out and soon were lying next to each other – Tommy on his back and Jason stretched out by his side, his head propped on one hand.

"I can't wait until you're comfortable enough so I can touch you," Jason confessed in a near-whisper. "I want so much to explore your body … to kiss you all over … this is my dream come true." His lips twitched wryly. "Well, one of them."

That startled Tommy, although it really shouldn't have – after all, during the past few months his friend had several times admitted that ever since he'd recognized he was bisexual, he'd had fantasies about the two of them together. It was both daunting … and exciting.

"You've dreamed about me?"

"You know I have," Jason replied calmly. "And maybe some day I'll even tell you about them."

"Why not now?" Tommy asked without thinking, suddenly curious.

The other laughed. "I will – if you think you're ready to listen to some rather hot 'n' raunchy scenarios about what I'd love to do to you … and what I wish you'll do to me one of these days."

The butterflies returned with a vengeance, and Tommy sucked in a surprised breath. _Was _he ready for 'hot and raunchy'? _-Uh, maybe not.- _So he smiled ruefully and shook his head on the pillow.

"I'll take a rain check, if you don't mind."

"'Course not."

Hearing the easy acceptance, it dawned on Tommy that he _was_ quite familiar with their present situation. As Jason had mentioned earlier, it was just like it used to be; the two of them lying side by side somewhere – one or the other's room, a shared tent, that sunny secluded spot in the Scotts' garden or on the beach, talking about hopes and dreams. It was even okay to move just a little and have his shoulder or legs come into contact with Jason's body. If anything, it provided him with a sense of 'been there, done that' and helped Tommy to relax. True, the dreams they'd shared had had little to do with intimacy nor been so, well, personal, but the very familiarity made it safe. Thus, Tommy could make a somewhat cheeky confession of his own.

"Besides, I doubt your fantasies would be very different from what I've researched," he remarked innocently. As he suspected he would, Jason did a classic double take.

"Research? What research?"

"About male-male sexual interaction," Tommy declared just a little pompously. "Just because I lack your actual experience doesn't mean I'm incapable of gathering information in other ways. I _am _a scientist, after all."

"Yeah, and now you sound like Billy Lite," Jason snorted, amused. "What other ways – did you rent gay porn flicks?" It was the first thing coming to his mind and he wasn't very serious about it – in his experience, Tommy really wasn't the type to look at porn. Hell, even when they'd been teenagers at high school together, he'd been the one _least _likely to snatch someone's (usually an older brother's) copy of _Playboy _or _Hustler _in the locker room to drool over! Much less some generally more hardcore same-sex stuff. But to Jason's surprise, his shot in the dark hit the bull's eye.

Tommy blushed fiercely, and squirmed uncomfortably. He longed to protest the 'Billy Lite' quip – a term coined by Rocky when he'd first gotten his reading glasses during college – but hesitated just a fraction of a second too long.

To his chagrin, Jason was watching Tommy intently and thus had no problem detecting both the blush and Tommy's consternation.

"You didn't," he crowed, slightly shocked and yet delighted.

Caught, Tommy shrugged sheepishly. "Well …"

"Oh boy." Jason couldn't help snickering. "I just hope those flicks or whatever didn't give you any false impressions on the average guy's, ah, equipment and stamina," he chuckled. "I've been told once or twice I'm good, but Super Stud I'm not!" Leaving Tommy no time to reply to his mild boast, he just laughed again, leaned over and kissed him, mouth quivering with suppressed mirth. Tommy responded readily enough, his own lips twitching. Somehow, their mutual amusement glossed over the fact that they had now ended up practically in each other's arms. Their tongues dueled briefly, then Jason drew back. His eyes were very soft.

"How about we augment your, ahem, _research_ with a little hands-on experiment then?"

This was it – the moment of no return. And Tommy knew suddenly that he was ready. He laid a hand on Jason's neck, feeling his pulse throb in the vein. His own eyes darkened with anticipation.

"I suppose you mean that literally?" he murmured.

"Very much literally," Jason answered, emphasizing it with another brief kiss.

Committing himself, Tommy nodded. "Okay. So show me."

"Show? Don't you want me to explain stuff first?" Jason wondered, somewhat taken aback by the abrupt turn of events. He'd half expected he would have to talk Tommy through this just so he wouldn't be spooked, but …

It was Tommy's turn to grin. "I think 'show, _don't_ tell' will work better for us than 'show _and _tell," he said, not entirely joking. "We _are _adults, after all …"

The suggestiveness in the tenor voice wasn't lost on Jason. His body responded by growing fully erect, and he smiled slowly, wolfishly.

"Couldn't agree more," he replied. "Besides, I just may have a better use for my mouth than talking." With that, he slipped one arm under Tommy's shoulders, took a firm hold, bent over his friend and covered his mouth in a fierce kiss.

Tommy froze. This was a kiss like no other they'd shared so far.

For one thing, they were both nearly naked; for another, they'd never kissed in a bedroom, actually _in _bed together. He made himself relax by sheer force of will, and opened his lips. Jason's tongue immediately invaded his mouth, seeking out its counterpart and tangled with it. Tommy tried to hold back just a little, but the moist intruder wouldn't let him, engaging him in an erotic tango that did no longer ask, but _demanded _a response. So he did, a part of his mind hoping that Jason would ease up, but instead found himself held even more firmly, Jason's free hand placed against his cheek so that Tommy _had _to allow the gentle domination. There was only room for one hazy thought.

_-Oh hell, Jase means business!-_

···

What kind of business was left unclear for the moment as Jason released him, but remained poised over his friend. He was panting a little, and there was a strange glitter in his eyes that sent a flutter of arousal through Tommy. Suddenly breathless, Tommy swallowed and instinctively licked his tingling lips.

"Don't do that," Jason growled softly as his cock reacted with a demanding pulse to the sight of the wet organ flickering over the mouth he wanted on him. _-Or be in. Ungh!-_

"W-why not?" Tommy wondered, teetering between confusion and growing excitement.

"Because."

_-Because what?- _He wanted to know what Jason meant by that rather cryptic response, but no sooner had the thought formed Tommy found himself on the receiving end of a second, even more demanding kiss. It effectively shut down his brain altogether, and all he could do was react. He was slightly better prepared this time; although he couldn't decide just yet whether he liked having control pretty much taken away from him or if he should try to win it back, it felt definitely enjoyable. Which was probably why his body made the decision for him and just went with the flow – namely, permitting Jason liberties with his mouth he'd _never _taken before.

By the time Jason finally had explored every last recess, they were both breathing hard.

"God, I love kissing you," Jason whispered against Tommy's lips.

"Mmm." Tommy was too dazed by the onslaught of sensations to be more erudite, but his inarticulate half-moan seemed to convey his agreement well enough. He dragged his eyes open and looked into the midnight eyes so close to his own. The sparkle there was almost as exciting as the sensual smile hovering around Jason's lips as he ran a finger down Tommy's cheek in a brief caress.

"Hold onto your hat, Bro; our ride is just beginning!"

"Wha-" **-_–_**_t do you mean?- _Tommy meant to ask, but never managed to do so; the warm mouth closed over his again, but instead of giving him yet another deep, lusty kiss Jason nipped softly at Tommy's lips with his own, coaxing them open. Willing himself to just go along for now, Tommy complied … and gasped when Jason teasingly licked at the corner of his mouth.

It was just for a second, and should have been much more innocent than the hot assault of moments ago, but it wasn't – instead, the moist caress shot a spark directly into his groin. He grew instantly, fully hard.

"Jaaaasssssssssssse …!"

Jason laughed softly when he heard the excited hiss and swept his tongue-tip across to the other side.

"Like that?"

Electric currents were igniting more and more of Tommy's senses. "Shit, yes," he moaned, tossing his head back and forth on the pillow. He wanted more deep kisses, no, he wanted more of those teasing licks – preferably not only on his mouth! – no, he wanted Jason to stop … _-No! NOT stop!-_ his body insisted… he wanted … MORE!

Unsure exactly more of _what_ he wanted, Tommy arched against Jason, grabbing unsuccessfully for his head to hold him in place. That maddening mouth immediately left his, but before he could protest fastened itself to the side of his neck, nipping at the large vein that ran to his shoulder. Tommy hissed sharply at the light sting and felt more than heard Jason's pleased chuckle.

"Relax, Bro," the deep voice murmured soothingly. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

_-No, just drive me mad … ooohhh!- _Rational thought chose that moment to take a holiday.

Jason continued to lick and nibble his way down to Tommy's collarbone, liking the way his friend moaned softly at every caress. He _also _liked the way Tommy was starting to shiver all over – and he knew it wasn't because he was cold. Reaching the hollow at the base of Tommy's throat, he lingered there, pressing tiny kisses all over the patch of skin. Jason then took hold of Tommy's shoulder more firmly and shifted to give himself room to maneuver. In his estimation, the time was now right to venture further, so he added the fingers of his free hand to the mix.

···

He started by skimming his fingertips across the muscular chest, sometimes feather-light, then with broader, firmer sweeps of his whole hand. He outlined the well-defined muscles from shoulder to navel, glad of the fact that like himself, Tommy kept his torso hairless – a remnant of their days as active competitors on the karate circuit. Even though neither competed anymore due to their professional obligations, it had long since become a habit for both of them … and it was so much more pleasurable when one wanted to lick and suck on a sensitive nipple! _-Girls sure have it easier there than guys!- _But first he had to prepare his friend for this new experience.

Wondering hazily through his own rising lust whether Tommy would be sensitive to that kind of stimulation – not all men were – , Jason started to draw circles on Tommy's chest, all the while never letting up on his gentle assault on his Bro's skin. His fingertips wandered closer and closer to one small brown nub, and when Jason finally reached his goal was rewarded with another loud hiss that _definitely _indicated pleasure – at least if he read the simultaneous shudder correctly.

"You like that?" he whispered.

"Uungh!" Tommy's incoherent moan was answer enough – as was the clenching of his hands in the sheet beneath them. Emboldened, Jason pinched gently, evoking a muted "Fuck!" _-Soon, Bro … soon!- _He grinned to himself and applied himself further, letting his kisses drift slowly but inexorably to the knot of tissue hardening under his fingers. At last, he reached his target … and stopped.

Tommy knew what was coming; after all, he had used quite a similar technique on Kat's soft mounds often enough, but surprisingly found himself left hanging. Reluctantly, he pried his eyes open and lifted his head slightly off the pillow.

"J-jase?" he rasped.

"Yes?" The small word sent a tiny gush of warm breath across his skin, and Tommy shuddered as his gaze met the barely-banked fire in the dark eyes.

"What … why …" He could barely think, much less form a coherent sentence, so Tommy settled for arching his chest, hoping he could connect with that exciting mouth. Maddeningly, Jason wasn't playing along, just held himself an inch or so away … and Tommy firmly to the mattress.

"What do you want, Tommy?" he asked in a low voice that betrayed a hint of his own excitement.

_-Shit, I can't believe he's making me ask for it!-_

But it didn't matter; Tommy was too awash in sensation to really care. _-Besides, it's kind of a turn-on …oh fuck.- _"Your mouth," he groaned, defeated ... and yet feeling strangely victorious that he _could _beg. "On me!"

He was rewarded by a slight pinch on his nipple, a little harder this time. "Where? Here?"

"Yeah," he confirmed breathlessly. "Please?"

"Okay," Jason rumbled, flicking a blunt nail over the hardened nub. Tommy shivered again. "One thing, though."

"Wh-what?" Tommy managed. He wanted this badly, even though he hadn't known he could scant minutes ago.

"Watch me," Jason replied, making it not _quite_ a command. With difficulty, Tommy lifted his head once more, opened his lids to a mere slit and fixed his eyes on his friend's face. The slow, wolfish smile forming around Jason's mouth as he observed this caused Tommy to hold his breath … only to dissolve in a long, drawn-out moan as he saw andfelt Jason's tongue connect with his nipple. He began to tremble.

Tommy had often wondered why Kat had loved it so when he'd done the same to her; now he knew. He'd never imagined that he himself would be almost as sensitive; for some reason, she'd never reciprocated, just gone straight for his genitals. Which were clamoring for attention as well – more insistently when Jason flicked his tongue-tip back and forth repeatedly while ever so slightly increasing the pressure of his teeth. Tommy couldn't help himself, he bucked his hips.

Recognizing the action for what it was, namely a blatant invitation to get on with it, Jason gladly complied and let his hand sweep lower, skimming the waistband of Tommy's briefs. He took his time exploring the lean body, until Tommy couldn't control his reactions anymore and started cooperating fully.

His patience was rewarded soon after when, suddenly unable to stand even the light cottony constriction of his briefs, Tommy cast caution to the wind. Making an unsuccessful grab for Jason's arm, he bucked against his Bro once more.

"Take them off, Jase," Tommy gasped.

Jason looked at him searchingly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Tommy replied. "Do it, now!"

Jason swallowed, then nodded. "Okay."

Tommy started to tremble. This was it – the first time another man ever touched him intimately. Somehow, everything that had gone on between them before – the passionate kisses, the playful groping, even Jason's foreplay of only moments ago – paled beside the thrill of strong fingers on his body.

Tommy found himself awash in sensation; his mind was still trying to wrap itself around the concept that it was _Jason_, his best friend, his Bro who was touching him so expertly, but his body soon overrode any such concerns and just reveled in the waves of sheer pleasure radiating outward from his groin. _-It's been a long time since I've had a partner,- _he thought woozily through his clamoring hormones, but that little voice in his mind which had first encouraged him to fantasize about his friend so long ago spoke up again.

_'Don't kid yourself. Yeah, it's been awhile, but you'd be just as excited if you'd gotten laid only yesterday. This is Jason!'_

And that made all the difference, Tommy realized. Yes, there was the slight taboo factor of being in bed with another _guy _which contributed to his excitement, but the main – and most important – thing was that he could sense the love between them in every touch. Without that love, he and Jason wouldn't even _be _here … in bed, together, having sex – no, making love. Expressing themselves through touch, and there _could not _be any regret. So he gave in to his feelings with no further compunction, determined to enjoy himself thoroughly, and moaned his pleasure.

Jason smiled slowly as he felt Tommy let go of the last bit of tension; he would have liked to swarm all over his body, to satisfy his own craving for contact, but this first time was too momentous, for both of them. Sure, he was no novice with men, but had never experienced the kind of connection, of sheer emotion with any of his previous partners. That belonged solely to his best friend. The others … they had just been bed partners; Tommy would be his _lover_. _-Big difference!- _Besides, watching Tommy abandon himself to what _he _was doing to him had its own rewards. Telling his raging hormones sternly to wait their turn, Jason leaned up on one elbow and concentrated on giving Tommy every benefit of his expertise and upped the tempo until he sent Tommy over the edge.

"AH!"

°°°

Slumping bonelessly back onto the mattress, Tommy waited until the last wave of pleasure had passed before reluctantly opening his eyes. When he managed it at last, he looked directly into the midnight eyes of his lover.

_'Mmm. I like the sound of that,' _his inner voice purred, shamelessly satiated.

Tommy had to smile. _-So do I,- _he thought back, and reached up languidly to touch Jason's cheek.

"That was … awesome," he murmured. "Thanks."

Jason smiled back and kissed Tommy's palm. "Welcome. As long as you're okay."

"Mmm."

"I take it that means yes?" Jason chuckled.

"Hell, yeah …" Silently Tommy wondered why, if he'd just had one of the best orgasms in his life, his body was _already _telling him it wanted another go?

"Good."

They kissed again, more gently and taking their sweet time about it. For Jason, it was a chance to rein in his wayward hormones, to stoke the lusty fire burning in his veins into a steady heat instead of letting it become a conflagration. For Tommy, it was like gliding into shallow water to shore after riding the Big One, and a fitting end to a wild rollercoaster trip that left him pleasantly exhausted.

"Uh-huh. Very good." Stretching contentedly, Tommy smiled as the kiss ended and closed his eyes. He knew he was about to drift off into dreamland, but never got the chance. Just as he'd found the perfect position on the pillow, nestled close to Jason's broad chest, he was jerked back to wakefulness with a sharp poke into his side.

"Hey!" He glared half-heartedly at Jason. "What did you do that for?"

Jason gave him a Look that was an equal mix of exasperation, amusement and reproach, making Tommy feel vaguely ashamed with no clear idea why.

"I was just falling asleep," he grumbled, punctuating it with a yawn.

"I know," Jason replied dryly. "Why do you _think _I poked you?"

"No idea, why?" Tommy asked just a tad petulantly.

Now Jason was starting to glare at _him_, and there was nothing half-hearted about it.

"Aren't you forgetting about something?"

Tommy frowned. "Not that I know of …"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Lord, give me patience," he muttered. "Right now!" To his sleepy friend, he said, "Bro, I've known for years that your memory can have more holes than Swiss cheese, but this _really _beats all!"

Puzzled, Tommy turned halfway towards him. "What _are _you talking about? What exactly am I supposed to have forgotten, anyway, that's so important?"

Shaking his head, Jason almost started to curse when he remembered something Tommy had asked him to do earlier. **-**_Show, don't tell.- _Yes, that was the way to go now. It _would_ work, and likely be more effective than anything he could say anyhow. So, he simply reached out, grasped Tommy's hand and placed it squarely onto his own, still undiminished erection.

"That."

Tommy's eyes flew open as realization hit him – both mentally and through tactile sensation – and blushed more fiercely than ever.

"Oops!"

_To Be Continued …_


	5. By Dawn's Early Light

_**Disclaimer: **You know the drill; not mine, no money made (but wouldn't that be nice!) etc., etc.  
**Note: **In response to the LiveJournal PRSW Slash-22 Challenge; theme #20: thrill__  
This concludes the story arc started in chapter 3; next, I'm afraid we'll get back to that funny thing called 'plot'. ;-) Enjoy, I hope, and please pass the feedback box on your way out?**DB**_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 5: By Dawn's Early Light**

Tommy drifted up from the depths of slumber to the unwelcome racket of what sounded like an ungodly number of birds chirping, whistling, tweeting (and whatever-else type of sounds birds made) just outside the window and groaned. It had been a peaceful, _nice _background noise last night; right now, it was about as welcome to him as an attack from every cannon-fodder goon since Rita's putties down to Mesogog's tyrannodrones. Reluctantly, he pried one eye open and started to curse under his breath when he saw that the room was still swathed in darkness. No hint of the first glow of dawn creeping up slowly behind the mountains, tinting the sky a lovely mixture of pinks, purples and deep blues in the far distance; no, the air coming in from the open window was still cool, so it was obviously still night. Not even yet _very _early morning. Blindly, he fumbled for, then grabbed a corner of his pillow to pull it over his head, but the damn thing wouldn't budge, no matter how hard he tried.

Grumbling, he shifted from his comfortable position, intending – in view of the pillow's non-cooperation – to burrow under the covers to go back to sleep, but froze when he bumped into a warm body lying next to him. That body was at once hard and soft, hairy and silky-smooth … and quite obviously as naked as he himself. It also snored.

_-Who … oh yeah. Jason.-_

Relaxing back onto the mattress, Tommy found himself wake fully at that realization … especially as the memories of their night together started to flood his mind. He felt a grin spread over his face; no doubt an extremely silly one, but he didn't care. What they'd done to – and with – each other last night had been special, not to mention hot and exciting, and he knew he was very much looking forward to a repeat performance. Soon.

_-Or more. Man, it was awesome!-_

Tommy blushed as the memories became more specific. How gentle Jason had been as he'd introduced him to his first male-male sexual encounter! Gentle, caring … and damn sexy, too. Tommy shivered as he recalled how sensuously his best friend had showed him the possibilities. He hadn't dared to be as uninhibited, later. _-Maybe I should have … especially after forgetting about Jason's needs at first. But I felt so good, so safe, so satisfied …is it any wonder I nearly fell asleep?- _Lucky for him, Jason had understood and been quite forgiving about his momentary lapse. _-Eventually, anyway.-_

Tommy turned his head slightly to watch the man sleeping beside him. Jason was sprawled on his back, his far arm flung towards the edge of the mattress and one leg stuck out from under the blanket, but his face was turned towards Tommy … and even in his sleep, Jason was smiling. Tommy hoped that meant he'd found their first time as good and memorable as it had been for him.

Because it _had _been good. Not only to be on the receiving end of one of the best hand jobs it had ever been Tommy's pleasure to receive, but even more so to try and do the same for Jason. He'd been so nervous and unsure at first, reassured solely by Jason's patience and gentle guidance as he'd started his exploration of his friend's body …

_"Don't worry about technique, Bro," Jason told him with a smile as he lay back, giving Tommy full access to his body. "You're familiar with the, um, equipment, and I doubt you could do anything I'm not gonna like."_

_"What if I do?" Tommy worried, unaware that his fingers seemed to have a mind of their own and were already skimming across Jason's sculpted abs._

_"You won't. Trust me on that," Jason said breathily, wishing Tommy would touch him more firmly … and in more exciting places. He squirmed a little, trying to shift so that his friend's hands would naturally fall where he wanted them most._

_"I do," Tommy said earnestly, gazing deeply into the midnight-dark eyes of his new lover. The tiny flame he saw there – banked for now, but ready to flicker into full life in an instant – sent a wave of corresponding heat through him. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be here in the first place. Or have let you …" He blushed, feeling himself twitch with remembered pleasure._

_"Let me … what?" Jason murmured, moving slightly so that Tommy's hand drifted below his navel. -Mmm, better. Just a liiiiiiittle more …-_

_Several euphemisms sprang to Tommy's mind, but he chose honesty over them all. "Make love to me," he replied, pressing a kiss against Jason's shoulder. Because that's what it had been, despite the inevitable awkwardness, nerves, first time and all. He was rewarded when Jason reached up and drew his head down for a long, wetly exciting yet tender kiss._

_"Thank you for recognizing that," Jason whispered against his lips. Then, he grinned and gave Tommy a suggestive wink as he fell back against the pillow and spread his legs invitingly, his erection positively begging for attention. "Now, how about returning the favor?"_

And that was what Tommy had done – tentatively at first but gaining confidence by leaps and bounds when Jason responded to every touch freely and without inhibitions, telling his friend with soft words of encouragement and body language what excited him most, what made him moan with pleasure or shiver with delight. In fact, it had been quite thrilling to discover Jason's 'hot spots' … and just what kind of stimulation it took to make him writhe with abandon under Tommy's touch.

He rolled onto his side and propped his head on one hand, studying his sleeping friend. He'd been surprised to discover that Jason responded more intensely to a little roughness than to gentler caresses … but on second thought, it wasn't _that _surprising after all. There had been several times during various sparring sessions, when they were going more for the sheer fun and exhilaration of pitting their skills against each other than serious training, that Jason had grown an erection … and he hadn't been the only one to react thusly. Of course they had laughed it off as a typically teenaged male thing at the time, but now Tommy had to wonder whether they hadn't sown the seed of a mutual attraction back then that had culminated in last night's lovemaking.

The thought generated a coil of pleasant tension in the pit of Tommy's stomach and he caught his breath as it radiated downwards into his groin. He shivered. As much as he'd liked and appreciated Jason's caution and gentleness, there _was _an undeniable thrill in the idea of not having to hold back, to let their passion run freely and being able to match one's partner strength for strength.

_-That's what we've done right from the start,- _he mused. _-As friends, as sparring partners, as Rangers … and hell, yes, as rivals. We've competed in one way or another even before and without Rita's meddling; not only on the mats, but in school, in sports and a hundred other ways.-_

He knew that that rivalry and competitiveness, weird as it sounded, was actually one of the cornerstones of their relationship. In fact, before their careers had sent them down diverging paths they had both won their greatest achievements in direct competition. As they cared too much for each other, it never degenerated into one-upmanship – _-not without outward interference, anyway!-_ – but rather provided both of them with a measuring stick by which to gauge their accomplishments in comparison to a true equal. And it would be no different in this new area, Tommy realized with sudden, bone-deep certainty.

He and Jason were _equals_. Always had been, always would be. There would be no 'dominant' or 'submissive' partner – not unless they _chose _to assume either role. However, this particular mental image carried with it some things Tommy had shied away from until now. He let his mind wander back to his 'research' – namely, the blue movies he'd watched.

_-Can I submit to Jase? In all ways?-_

As Tommy recalled several scenes and pictured himself in the receiving position during some actions, he felt that almost-forgotten swarm of butterflies stir deep within himself once more … and started to grow hard. _-Oh-kaaay.- _He swallowed, half-nervous yet also strangely excited. _-Looks like I won't have a problem there. Good ... I think.-_

Which left the reverse. Could _he_ dominate _Jason_? Tommy thought back to last night, extrapolated Jason's response to his yet-unskilled attempts at what had been very tame sex, really, onto various fantasies he'd been having lately … imagined his best friend arching beneath him, obeying his every command, open, vulnerable, even begging for his touch …

It was surprisingly easy … and Tommy had to stifle a moan of instant, raw desire that had him fully erect in the space of two heartbeats.

_-Aw, man! I can't wait to have that happen!-_

However, a still somewhat hesitant part of his mind (which was decidedly different from the little voice cheering him on) cautioned him that he had better learn to walk before he tried to run. Namely, let Jason teach him some more of what two men might do together in bed. _-Mmm. True, but what a shame … still, judging by last night it'll probably be the most fun learning experience I'll ever have,- _he reflected with a small, private grin of anticipation. _-Besides, I've always been a quick study!-_

Tommy shifted on the mattress, half-tempted to deal with his erection himself. He let his free hand drift towards his groin, but after a second or two regretfully let go and put his hand safely back on top of the covers.

_-Can't do it. Didn't I kinda promise Jase I wouldn't fly solo anymore?-_

He didn't remember the exact words he'd used, or whether he'd only meant the times when Jason wouldn't be around, but couldn't quite bring himself to masturbate despite the clamoring of his hormones – besides, deep down he wanted _Jason_ to be the one giving him relief. Hopefully, he'd oblige at least once before they had to leave the cabin later in the day. If nothing else, Tommy wanted to know whether _all _orgasms Jason could give him would be as electric and satisfying as the first. _-I think I could easily get addicted to him bringing me off!-_

Promising himself he'd make at least an attempt for an encore later in the day, Tommy decided to try and go back to sleep while it was still dark outside, but before he did so couldn't resist the lure of the smooth, muscular chest rising and falling with every breath so close to him. He leant forward to press an open-mouthed kiss near one brown nipple, less than half-determined _not _to go just one step further and start nibbling, when he caught a backdraft of his own breath.

_-Eww. Man, I completely forgot about morning breath, and how bad it could be! Guess we should've been a bit more careful with the garlic last night.- _Funny, it hadn't mattered when they'd kissed after dinner – but now, it _was_ rather off-putting. Shaking his head ruefully, Tommy drew back from the tempting expanse of tanned skin and lay down once more, feeling his erection gradually subside. Fighting a yawn, he looked towards the window. The sky wasn't lighter yet, but the birdsong had increased in volume, and if he looked closely enough, he could see the first hints of sunrise behind the treetops on the mountain.

_-It's too early to be awake anyway,- _he groused. _-If those damn birds hadn't started with their racket, I'd still be asleep. Dammit, Jase, is there anything you can't sleep through? Hmph.-_

Sighing, he was about to pull up the cover when he became aware of another urge that was also centered in his groin … but had very little to do with Jason, or sex.

_-Shit.-_

Grimacing at the almost-correct term, Tommy cursed silently. He _really _didn't want to get up, but while he knew he probably could wait until a later hour, he also didn't want to have to fight Jason over bathroom privileges if they both happened to _have _to go at the same time. _-And as things usually turn out that way when you least want them to, and neither one of us likes using the bushes outside …- _

Grumpily, yet still taking care not to disturb his friend, he rolled out of bed and padded towards the bathroom.

···

Tommy squinted against the harsh light as he turned on the tap to wash his hands after finishing his business. He'd nearly frozen when the sound of flushing had seemed louder than a passing overhead train in the early-morning stillness filling the secluded cabin, but relaxed again when he couldn't detect any movement from the bedroom. He rinsed the soap from his hands and started to reach for a towel when a thought made him stop.

_-What if Jase wants to fool around some more later? I've just … and if he should …and there's still a rest of … um, eww? Better clean myself there, too.-_

He wet a washcloth from the stack on the sink and wiped himself off, wincing when the coolness hit his still sleep-warmed skin. Only the shower was connected to a heater; the sink taps were fed from a natural well, and here in the mountains that meant any water was icy cold. Done, he dried himself, then remembered that there was one other personal hygiene thing he could take care of as long as he was here anyway. _-Especially if Jase gets ideas before breakfast!-_

Tommy felt better – and much cleaner – once he was done brushing his teeth. He ran his tongue over his lips, licking off a spot of minty toothpaste left in one corner of his mouth. Truthfully, he'd never much minded morning breath when he'd been with Kat, but somehow with Jason he wanted everything to be as perfect as he could make it after this, their first time together – and as he couldn't think of anything else, presenting himself as fresh and clean as possible would have to do.

He glanced fleetingly into the mirror. As usual, his short hair was sticking up in ways that owed very little to styling, but it wasn't as bad as it could've been when he'd still been wearing it long. Still, it looked rather silly, and sighing half with disgust, half with rueful amusement, he reached for a comb.

"I can't believe I'm worrying about the way I look just out of bed," he muttered to himself as he attempted to tame the wayward strands. "If someone could hear or see me, they'd think I've mutated into Kim, or something!"

···

"If you were Kim, I wouldn't be here with you," a deep, sleepy voice murmured behind him, and Tommy jumped. Startled, his eyes flew up and in the mirror saw Jason lean against the bathroom door, looking rather rumpled as well. The dark eyes were laughing, though, as he sauntered forward, stopping directly behind Tommy. "No offense to Kim, she's pretty and everything, but she was always more like my baby sister; I'd never _dream_ of doing this to her," he continued.

"Um, doing what?" Tommy asked bemusedly, waiting for the adrenaline rush of surprise to pass. He could just barely make out Jason's smile behind his shoulder.

"Oh, this," Jason whispered, sliding his arms around Tommy's waist and pressed his groin suggestively against Tommy's butt. It took Tommy a second to distinguish the varied sensations – smooth skin stretched over a hipbone, the slight roughness of pubic hair further down and center, and amidst _that_ … Tommy gasped slightly as he realized Jason was half-erect and that his length was nestling neatly between his cheeks. Instinctively, he thrust back. Unseen by Tommy, Jason grinned to himself and fought the temptation to reach for Tommy. "You like, hmm? How about maybe … this?" He placed an openmouthed kiss on Tommy's neck, just at the juncture with his shoulder, and licked up to his friend's hairline. Jason found himself rewarded with a tiny shiver he hoped was excitement. _-Ah-ha. Good!- _Remembering another erogenous zone of his new lover's, he tightened his grip around Tommy with one hand and let the other wander upwards to the leanly-muscled chest.

"And I'd need to be one hell of a contortionist if I did something like _this_ with Kim," he said, simultaneously thrusting against the muscular behind, pinched a hardening nipple and teasingly bit into the pulsing vein in Tommy's neck, then soothed the tiny hurt with a wet lick towards his ear, eliciting a sharp hiss. "She's just too tiny; you're perfect. Not to mention she'd probably deck me," he added _sotto voce_.

Moaning at the sensual assault, Tommy tried to respond to the triple stimulation, but couldn't quite make up his mind in what order. He settled on offering his neck first by tilting his head, watching in the mirror through slitted eyes how Jason accepted the invitation by nip-kissing his way back down to Tommy's shoulder. Jason's hands weren't staying idle, either; they were now exploring all of his chest and abdomen. _-Man! I never knew my shoulder would be this sensitive!-_

"I'm h-hardly p-perfect," he stammered, wishing Jason would stop rubbing his pecs and abs and get down to business – literally! – instead.

Now he could feel the grin curving Jason's lips against his skin. "Maybe not," Jason conceded. "But perfect height, anyway. Especially for this …" He shifted his hips slightly. An arrow of heat pierced Tommy's innards, and without thinking he thrust back once more. It was Jason's turn to inhale sharply.

"Whoa, Bro," he murmured, steadying Tommy with both hands. "Easy!"

Suddenly impatient, Tommy ignored everything but his mounting desire. He jerked free of the strong hands, turned and hauled Jason fully against him. The heat radiating between them seemed to warm more than just their bellies. "What if I don't want 'easy' anymore?" he growled. Not giving Jason time to answer, he steadied his friend's head by wrapping his hands around the strong neck and took the smiling mouth in a demanding kiss. There was a moment of stillness as Jason adjusted to finding himself no longer the instigator, but it presented no problem. Offering no resistance, Jason responded fully by meeting the thrusting tongue eagerly with his own. It only served to stoke the fire starting to burn within Tommy. Without breaking the hard kiss, he began to seek out the places on Jason's body he'd learned last night would excite him, and again encountered only willing cooperation. Only when Tommy wiggled his hand between their close-pressed bodies did Jason resist.

Tearing his mouth free, he put both hands on Tommy's shoulders and pushed back.

"No. Tommy, wait!"

···

Finding himself thwarted, Tommy tried to hold on, but couldn't quite match Jason's strength. "Why not!" he grumbled.

Jason soothed his disgruntled lover with a kiss. "Because I'll end up with a welt on my ass if you don't stop shoving me against the edge of the sink," he murmured, easing his own grip into a full embrace. "And because there are better ways than doing it standing up in the bathroom." He rubbed his hips suggestively against Tommy's, lowering his voice into a seductive rumble. "More comfortable ones, anyway. I'm not saying you should stop altogether," Jason continued with a wink as Tommy sighed and slumped. "Just give me a sec to do what you already did, then let's go back to bed and …" A lightning-fast swipe of an agile tongue across and into Tommy's mouth made a promise that upped the ex-Dino Ranger's blood pressure considerably. "Deal?"

"Hmph. I guess."

Jason laughed softly and stepped out of Tommy's reluctantly-opened arms. "I'll hurry." In another moment, he'd disappeared behind the partition separating the commode from the bathroom.

_-I really should give Jase some privacy, but … I don't wanna,- _Tommy mused somewhat defiantly as he waited, listening to the familiar sounds of bathroom usage. _-Weird. But he'd have said something if he minded, right?-_

As if to prove his point, Jason grinned at him as he reappeared and went to the sink. Quickly, he washed his hands, took another washcloth and winced just like Tommy had done when he cleaned himself as well. "Yuck."

Tommy couldn't help himself, he snickered. "Could've told ya."

"Pfft. Well, guess we'll be warming each other up again real soon, huh?"

"Bet on it," Tommy replied hoarsely, letting his eyes roam across the expanse of smooth tanned skin as he watched Jason perfunctorily rinse his mouth, too. The thought of those now cool lips tasting his flesh made him shiver, but _not _with sudden cold. "You done yet?"

Chuckling, Jason turned off the tap and held out a hand. "Yep."

"Then come on already!" He tugged once, and only the fact that Jason had halfway expected such a move prevented him from stumbling.

Barely remembering to switch off the light, the two made their way back into the still-dark bedroom and the mussed bed. Once there, Jason just let himself fall onto the mattress, drawing Tommy right down with him. It was ungraceful, it was clumsy, they even bounced a little, but it _was_ fast – and it brought them back into each other's arms without further ado.

Trying to suppress both a snort of laughter and an exasperated "oof" – he'd landed on one of Jason's elbows with his stomach before they'd sorted themselves out – Tommy rolled over, flung a leg across Jason's thighs and pinned his lover beneath him. There was an unaccustomed thrill to having Jason be this compliant to his wishes, and he wanted to explore that strange, exciting feeling to the max. _-Man! The only time I can remember getting this horny over Jase was that first time when I was jerking off over that calendar photo – and I've always thought half of that was guilty pleasure!- _Apparently he'd misread his own motives, Tommy conceded deep within his mind. But that could definitely wait; he had far better things to do just now than psychoanalyze himself. Eyes glittering, he leaned up as best he could with Jason's arms still wrapped firmly around his shoulders and stared into the midnight-dark eyes. They had already lit up again with a tiny flame Tommy was rapidly coming to recognize. As before, it sent his own pulse soaring.

"Okay, we're comfortable. Now what?" he challenged.

To his surprise, Jason's grip on him eased. Keeping one arm around his back, he threaded his free hand through Tommy's hair and drew him down into a gentle but thorough kiss. When it ended, leaving Tommy somewhat breathless, Jason relaxed against the mattress.

"Now … I'm all yours," he murmured huskily. "Do anything – whatever you want."

It was an offer Tommy couldn't refuse. With a low growl of desire, he bent forward and captured the smiling lips, thrusting his tongue deeply into the moist heat. Jason offered no resistance, and he plundered the willing mouth until they were both quite out of breath.

Tommy resisted the impulse to tell Jason to either touch him or take matters into his own hand, so to speak. _-Surely there's more we can do? Question is, what?- _One easy way to find out, he decided. "_Any_thing"

Still lying unresistingly beneath him, Jason nodded. "Uh-huh." He then waited for Tommy to tell him what he wanted, or at least make a suggestion, but when neither was forthcoming, he turned his head and licked a handy shoulder. _-Mm. I like the way you taste, Bro.- _Tommy shuddered minutely, but remained silent. _-Hmm.- _Jason sought the brown eyes so close above him. What he read in them made a few things clear. _-Ah. He's curious, but still kinda unsure of what else to do. Definitely eager, though.- _If nothing else, the pulsating hardness against his abdomen was unmistakable proof. Well, since their intimacy was still so new, the best way to proceed, in Jason's opinion, was to just ask.

"Do you have something specific in mind, or are you open to suggestions?" he inquired gently, running his hands down Tommy's back until he could cup the muscular ass. Tommy inhaled sharply as the caress, rough and firm as it was, sent yet another shockwave through him.

Once he recovered and adjusted to the now even brighter flame of desire spreading through Jason's fingers from his buttcheeks right into his groin, Tommy sighed and rested his forehead against Jason's. "I … I'd like to go on holding you," he said. "And I also want us to, um, do something together, if that's okay with you. Like, at the same time if we can?"

Jason smiled. "Sure. But – I take it you mean we should do something other than this?" He trailed one hand down between them, demonstrating his meaning.

Tommy gasped as the friction set off yet another small explosion. "Yeah," he breathed, instinctively moving to give Jason more room. "If you don't mind, that is …"

"Trust me, Bro, I don't mind at all," Jason murmured. Reluctantly, he released his friend. "Hmm … together … how about we do it this way?" Using his greater strength, he lifted Tommy half off him and maneuvered until his friend lay right on top of him – hip to hip, chest to chest. Then, he gripped Tommy's waist. Thrusting gently upwards, he drew a hissing breath from both. "Unh. How'd you like _that_?" Jason whispered, repeating the motion.

Tommy moaned. "A lot." Without needing a prompt, he copied Jason's movement.

"Good."

It was a familiar position for Tommy, so he had no problems at all adjusting to this new experience. Soon they were both thrusting in near-perfect synchronicity, letting the sensations run their course as they clung to each other. Sweat began to form on their backs and chests, spreading between their rippling abdomens as their tempo increased and slicked their skin.

However, after several minutes the friction was becoming uncomfortable.

"It's not enough," Tommy panted as he tried to get a firmer hold on the broad shoulders beneath him. By now, he was becoming desperate for release – and the sensual kisses, nibbles and licks Jason was freely peppering on his face, neck and whatever portion of Tommy's chest he could reach weren't helping, either. "Bro …" he groaned, unable to decide whether he wanted to stop and try something else or just endure the growing discomfort until he orgasmed.

To his relief – and keen disappointment – Jason seemed to feel the same and stopped. If his rueful grin and heavy breathing was any indication, he was just as reluctant (and grateful) to stop as Tommy.

"Sorry," Jason gasped as he caught his breath. "Should've remembered we need lube for this."

What an excellent idea! "You got some?"

Eagerly, Tommy raised his head and peered over at Jason's nightstand. Without his glasses, the objects on top were a bit blurry, but maybe what they needed was in the drawer … he hated to let go of his lover for even the short seconds it would take to retrieve the bottle or tube or whatever, but it'd most likely be worth it.

Jason's grin grew, turning more than slightly lecherous. "Uh huh. Just in case we _did _get around to getting some, er, action this weekend," he admitted.

"Mmm." Tommy expressed his gratitude at Jason's foresight with a deep, hungry kiss that was fully reciprocated. "Where is it?"

Much to his chagrin, Jason sighed heavily and slumped into the pillows. "Er, I left it in my bag. Which unfortunately is …"

"… in the hallway," Tommy finished with a frustrated groan. "Shit!" He, too, let himself go limp – right on top of Jason.

"Yeah."

Throwing his head back, Jason concentrated on controlling his ragged breathing. Tommy seized the chance to rest his face in the crook of Jason's neck, relishing the feel of smooth, slick skin against his own as he reveled in the musky scent hovering around them. It was his own, intricately mixed with what was uniquely Jason's essence, familiar, safe … and all the more thrilling in that he could detect his best friend's arousal through the heat emanating from the hard body lying beneath him. At last, both calmed down enough to attempt thinking about their conundrum.

Jason turned his head slightly, brushing his lips against Tommy's. "So who's gonna get up and get the stuff?" he asked.

"Dunno," Tommy mumbled. "I mean, I _seriously _need to, uh …"

"Yeah, me too." Once again, Jason gripped Tommy's backside with one hand and arched upwards. His condition and need was no doubt identical. "But."

"Was that supposed to be a pun? If it was, I gotta tell you, Bro, it sucked even worse than usual," Tommy muttered, trying to work up a modicum of enthusiasm for the necessary trip into the hallway. _-I really, really don't wanna get up, though!-_

From all appearances, neither did Jason – or he surely would have let go of him by now. Wouldn't he?

"Me neither," Jason murmured back, but his voice suddenly held a tone Tommy couldn't quite interpret. He lifted up until he could look into Jason's eyes. The expression in them – as much as he could make out in the pre-dawn darkness filling the room – was mostly speculative, with just a hint of renewed lust.

"What?" Tommy asked, feeling his pulse begin to race. Had Jason thought of another solution?

"What you just said, Bro …" Jason whispered. It had only been one word, and he hadn't dared hope it might come to this yet, tonight, but … if Tommy was as desperate for release as he was, as horny, as willing to share, to chart new territory …

Puzzled, Tommy reviewed his last remark. There was nothing in it as far as he could tell that presented a quick and easy way out – and _that_ pun sucked even worse than Jason's – when things clicked into place. _-Oh. OH!- _ The little voice in his mind, quiet ever since they'd finally taken the step into intimacy, was suddenly back with a vengeance, and almost immediately followed up with a resounding _-Oh yeaaah!-_.

An arrow composed equally of unadulterated lust and sheer panic pierced his gut. And the only thing that compared to the sensation had been his very first morph at Jason's side, all those years ago.

Instinctively, he licked his gone-dry lips. "You mean …"

Jason copied the involuntary gesture, his tongue flickering enticingly across a mouth Tommy was suddenly starting to see in quite a new way. _-Oh boy. Kissing Jase is terrific enough. Having him lick and nibble all over me even more so. I wonder, what would it feel like if he actually …- _His train of thought, speeding along a track that made the blood in his veins sing and his genitals throb with wanting, was derailed by the low voice.

"Yeah," Jason murmured huskily. He swallowed. "Tommy … I know it's early days yet, and I honestly hadn't _planned _on taking things this far our first time, but if it's okay with you … if you're truly serious about us doing something _together_ this time …"

Almost against his will, Tommy had to smile. His suspicions were confirmed by Jason's hesitancy and apparent unwillingness – a first tonight – to come right out and just demonstrate, or even just _say _what he meant despite their earlier resolve to show, not tell.

"Jase …" he tried to interrupt the flow of words, but Jason didn't listen.

"I don't want to rush you or anything, but … only if you think you're ready, and you don't _have _to do this if you'd rather not, I'll understand if you don't … " he continued in a rush, looking anywhere but at Tommy.

"Jason." Tommy said louder and more firmly. When that didn't work either, he shut up his lover with the most effective method he could think of – by taking a firm hold of the dark head with one hand and kissing him … hard. Being stopped like that made Jason gasp, thereby sucking Tommy's tongue further into his mouth. Both men moaned deep in their throats. Still they took their time, dueling wetly until they had reached almost the same fever pitch of arousal as before.

Tommy ended the kiss slowly and gradually.

"You're babbling, Bro," he chided, adding a teasing nibble for good measure. Even though he was pretty sure by now what Jason was going to suggest, he still wanted, even _needed _to hear the words. "Just say it, okay?"

"Sorry," Jason mumbled, shuddered once, then inhaled deeply and met the chocolate eyes poised above his own darker ones determinedly.

"I'd love to take you in my mouth," he whispered, trying to hide his tension. "And have you do it to me."

It was said so softly that Tommy had to strain his ears to hear the words, but Jason might as well have shouted them from the nearest mountaintop.

···

_-Bingo.-_

Tommy nearly stopped breathing altogether for a full second and felt his head begin to spin at the images suddenly swamping his mind. He knew it was the next logical step in their relationship; had expected it to happen at one point in the foreseeable future, but … was he ready for a blowjob?

It wouldn't be his first one; after all, he and Kat had been lovers for quite some time, and they'd enjoyed a physical relationship where they'd given and received pleasure in a variety of ways. Including mutual oral sex. However, this was _Jason_. Another _man_.

_"Who you happen to love to distraction, or you wouldn't be here, in bed with him, in the first place," _his little mental voice informed him dryly. _"In what way is a blowjob by Jason going to be different from the ones you had before by Kat? Other than Jason probably knowing exactly how to do it, rather than guessing what might feel best to you?"_

Not at all, Tommy had to admit. Or at least only different in the way their earlier hand job had been different. _-Which was … not very. But hot. Exciting. Totally satisfying, and then some.- _

Realizing he'd be passing out if he didn't remember to breathe, Tommy sucked air into his nearly-depleted lungs as he considered the situation. _Was _he ready to have Jason's mouth on him?

The throbbing in his lower body increased until he felt ready to explode, and Tommy conceded ruefully that he had his answer right there. However, it had been _his _idea to reciprocate whatever they would end up doing – and at the same time, too. Which meant that he'd have to take Jason in his mouth as well. They would need to assume a different position – wouldn't be able to embrace, or kiss. Unbidden, several scenes from his 'research' popped up. Some he discarded right away as too kinky, some others because they'd looked rather uncomfortable. Others, he filed away for future consideration once they were more used to making love to each other. Which still left the here and now.

Tommy already knew how it felt to hold Jason's sex in his hand; he also remembered how he had felt when Jason first touched him – the thrill of knowing he was finally making love with his best friend, the hint of doing something … well, not forbidden, but out of the ordinary; the certainty that he was sharing intimacy with the one person he trusted above all others and who fully shared those feelings.

Concentrating on the mechanics first, Tommy imagined what he might possibly do, what it would be like … and had to swallow hard as saliva began to fill his mouth.

_-Shit. Any minute now, I'll be drooling!-_

Tommy could almost picture the smug smile sported by his inner voice. _"See?"_

_-See what?- _But it was a rhetorical question; he already had his answer. His mind might still skitter hither and yon with questions and uncertainties, but his body was far beyond that. His body _wanted_, it wanted Jason, wanted him _now_ and in any way it could. And Tommy was more than ready to ignore his mind and give in to his body … especially as his heart was cheering quietly from the sidelines.

His musings, which had taken less than ten seconds, tops, were interrupted by Jason's quiet, hesitant voice.

"Bro?"

Tommy blinked. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "You kinda surprised me … only also kinda not, y'know?"

To his relief, Jason relaxed in his arms again. "Yeah, I guess. Then … you're not angry, or offended or anything?"

"Nah," he reassured his lover. They shared a quick, gentle kiss. "I could never be angry at you. Not over stuff like this, anyway."

"Whew."

Tommy permitted himself a small grin and shifted slightly, reminding both of them that they still had unfinished business to take care of. Tommy looked down between their bodies, then threw caution to the wind. _-What the hell. Whether it happens now or next month – who cares?-_

"Uh huh." He paused, then took the plunge. "So – how do we do this?"

Jason shivered slightly and ran one hand down Tommy's back. He briefly caressed the hard muscles, then trailed his fingers upwards again to his cheek. "You still want us to do it together? At the same time?"

"Yeah," Tommy confirmed, then decided that, as it _had_ been his idea to begin with, he might as well take a more active part. And from what he remembered seeing in the movies and magazines he'd perused, the easiest way would be … "How about we do a sixty-nine?"

His partner smiled, slowly and with more than a trace of lasciviousness. "Sounds perfect to me."

Both men stilled. The atmosphere between them grew thick with anticipation as each waited for the other to make the first move until Jason chuckled softly. "What are we waiting for, then?" He thrust his hips in emphasis, letting Tommy feel his hardness.

Tommy shrugged, then reluctantly released Jason, rolling off him. "So do it. I'm, ah, all yours," he echoed Jason's earlier words.

Jason gasped. He raised himself up, leaned over Tommy and placed a hand on his chest – right above the hammering heart. "Don't make promises you're not yet ready to keep, Tommy," he warned, the deep voice roughened by desire. "I can't guarantee I'll be able to control myself – not when it concerns you and me together, anyway." He grinned sheepishly. "To be perfectly blunt, the whole idea right now has me so worked up that … never mind," he stopped himself. "Let's just say that I'm not made of stone, okay?"

Tommy gulped and told himself to engage his brain before he spoke the next time. However, Jason's last remark gave him the perfect opening to lighten the suddenly charged atmosphere. He simply took hold of Jason and squeezed carefully. _-Yep. As ready as I am.-_ "Could've fooled me."

Amused almost against his will, Jason groaned as the teasing touch excited him even more. He bent and kissed Tommy hard, plunging his tongue deeply into the wet mouth. "You're an idiot, but I love you anyway," he murmured once he was finished. Then, without further ado, he let go of his friend and turned until they were lying head-to-toe. One last time, he sought the brown eyes.

"Okay. You can either copy what I'm gonna do, or go at your own pace with whatever you're comfortable with. That okay?"

The small gusts of warm air coming from Jason's mouth as he spoke teased Tommy and made him shiver with anticipation. "Sure," he croaked through a throat that was tight with sudden apprehension.

Jason closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply, savoring Tommy's musk one last time.

"Fine, then. Here goes …

"Ahhh!"

Within seconds, the two men were lost in giving and receiving pleasure until they both achieved release, one right after the other.

···

Jason couldn't believe how much effort it took to finally turn around and crawl back up the bed, dragging the sheet along to cover them both, but Jason surmised correctly that Tommy needed the comfort and security of an embrace as much as he did right now. He'd had more skilled partners in the past, but nothing compared to the emotional satisfaction he was feeling.

Tommy had fully shared a sixty-nine with him!

It boggled the mind.

Jason had waited for this night for what seemed like forever; ever since he'd admitted to himself that he loved and wanted Tommy for more than his Bro and best bud. Now that his dream had finally come true, he was at the same time more deeply satisfied by a physical encounter than he ever remembered being _and_ experienced a burning hunger to do _more_, to take that ultimate step and fully consummate their relationship. He trembled at the thought. Involuntarily, he moaned as he scooted to lie next to a now _very _relaxed Tommy.

Tommy slid one arm under the broad back and drew Jason full-length against his side, waiting until he'd flung one leg across his own thighs and the dark head rested against his shoulder. He angled for a gentle, brief kiss.

"You okay, Bro?" he asked softly. Somehow, it seemed out of place to speak loudly, even though there was nobody there to overhear them.

"Should be me asking you," Jason mumbled, banishing his fantasies to the back of his mind once more. Now that they'd successfully taken the first (okay, and the second, too) hurdle, he was reasonably certain that he could make them into reality one day – and that had to be enough for tonight. Which it was. "I'm fine. More than fine." He kissed the vein running up Tommy's neck. "That was … wow."

Tommy smiled, pleased at the mixture of awe, exhaustion and satisfaction he could hear in the deep voice. "Uh huh. Me, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"Actually, I'd rather call it hot than cool," Tommy tried to quip, but a sudden yawn slurred his words almost past recognition.

Jason chuckle was also terminated by a yawn. Feeling very tired all at once, he draped himself more comfortably around the lean frame. How come he'd never noticed before what a great pillow Tommy's shoulder was?

"Bro … I'd love talk with you, but I'm beat," Jason admitted. "You've kinda tired me out."

"Mmm. Ditto," Tommy agreed. Looking towards the nightstand, he squinted to read the numbers on the old-fashioned digital alarm clock. "It _is _barely 5 a.m. … just getting light outside," he realized. Indeed, the sky over the mountains was turning the most glorious shades of violet, pink and orange, but right this moment Tommy couldn't care less about sunrise, no matter how spectacular.

Apparently, neither did Jason. "Way too early to get up … or be awake, really," he decided. Then raised his head to look at Tommy. His midnight eyes twinkled devilishly. "Wanna sleep with me?"

Tommy's lips twitched with amusement. There were several comments he could make to that, _or _about Jason's atrocious and sometimes entirely misplaced sense of humor, but not now. Now, all he wanted was to give in to his body's suddenly insistent demands and just _sleep_. Everything else could damn well wait until they were awake. He yawned again.

"Best idea you've had in a while," he conceded. "Night."

"G'night," Jason smiled, and sank back. He closed his eyes and prepared to drift off, feeling his lover's limbs loosen in relaxation as well. A last thing popped into his mind. "Love you." With his next breath, he was asleep

Although he was about to tumble over the edge into sleep as well, Tommy still heard the soft words; they gave him the final push into dreamland. "I love you too, Jase. Love you …"

Not even the birds singing even louder than before outside the open window could rouse the two men as they slept. Nightfall had been ushered in with slow, gentle seduction; darkness had been filled with hot loving. Now they lay peacefully entwined, friends turned into lovers, as the light of dawn would turn into day.

_To Be Continued …_


	6. Nothing's Changed

_**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no money, yada yada yada._

_**Note: **In response to the LJ PRSW 22 challenge, theme #8: friendship _

_Hmm. Seems as if Idiot Muse® has a mind -coughs, hoots- of his own; instead of continuing with this sooner, he decided to take a detour via "Strangers In Red". (My collaboration with Cmar, loosely related to a later point in this story. Go on, read it already! Please?) Oh well, as long as he's working, who am I to complain? Enjoy, and please tell me how I'm doing?_

More Than Friends And Brothers

Chapter 6: Nothing's Changed

Tommy entered his house with a sigh, dumping his luggage in the hallway. The weekend had been great, to say the least. He and Jason were lovers now.

_-Pretty mind-blowing. And speaking of blowing …- _He shivered as he recalled the sensation of his best friend's lips and tongue on his body, licking and sucking until he thought he'd go mad with desire, propelling him slowly, inexorably into ecstasy … and if he concentrated _really _hard, he imagined he could still feel Jason's hardness filling his own mouth, remembered the taste of his essence. Instinctively, he licked his lips and moaned. _-Who would've thought …-_ Reluctantly, Tommy shook himself out of the reverie.

It was Sunday night now, spring break was over, and he was back in Reefside, alone with his memories – facing another run of classes, tests and students until the end of the school year. He shouldn't complain, really – in general, he enjoyed teaching, his colleagues at Reefside High were good people even though he hadn't made friends with anyone yet beyond company for an occasional meal or drink, and now that Ms Randall no longer turned into Elsa at the drop of a hat, school was actually a rather pleasant workplace. He also had the advantage to work weekends on projects with Anton Mercer, which not only provided some welcome added income, but stimulating conversation and after-hours companionship as well if he wanted it. And of course there was Hayley – but she had her own life to live, and was caught up both in research and the Cyber Café.

He checked his mail, decided there was nothing that couldn't wait until the next day, and went into the kitchen to fix himself a light dinner of soup and sandwiches. It was too much trouble to carry his things into the den where his desk would only remind him of the unfinished project he had to complete by next week for Mercer, so he slid onto a stool at the cooking island and mechanically proceeded to eat while his thoughts continued to run in circles.

Truth be told, when he wasn't occupied with lesson plans and other projects, he was plain _lonely_ a lot of the time.

Sometimes, Tommy just missed the social life he used to have. College in Laramie, at the University of Wyoming, had offered a lot of extracurricular activities with great museums, chances to explore his Native American heritage and lots of outdoor sports. While he'd still been racing, free time was either spent with his uncle and the other drivers, or he used to explore the parts of the country the circuit took him to. And of course back in Angel Grove he'd had his friends. Tommy sighed nostalgically as he finished his simple meal, stacked his dishes in the sink and decided to call it a night. Slowly he went upstairs, collecting his bag on the way. High school had been the best time, really – and not just because there'd always been something to do, someone to hang out with or because he'd first received his Ranger powers then. No, he also had become part of a circle of people who still were – and would always be – his closest friends.

Of course, adulthood had scattered them every which way. Kimberly now lived in Indiana with her fiancé, close to the US Gymnastics organization; Aisha was still working with animals in Africa; the last he'd heard Zack was somewhere in South America with the Peace Corps, Tanya and Adam had relocated to New York, and Trini and Billy would soon settle in Massachusetts to work together at MIT. Kat's ballet company toured all over the world, and where Rocky had gone to, nobody knew – his dojo in Stone Canyon had been struggling, his back was still giving him trouble, so he'd closed the school, dropped out of circulation lately and kept in contact by occasional phone calls and online messages. Only Jason remained close by in Angel Grove, teaching Political Science and coaching sports at Angel Grove High.

Jason. Tommy sighed; seemed as if his thoughts recently _always _centered on his friend.

_-He's not just my friend anymore. We're lovers now.-_

Which was all sorts of things – exciting, unbelievable, wonderful, scary, and a whole thesaurus worth of other adjectives. Tommy couldn't and wouldn't find fault with that, although the scary _et cetera_ parts still tended to unnerve him. While he had no doubts at all about his _feelings _for Jason, it would still take time to get used to expressing said feelings in a physical way. True, Jason had shown incredible patience so far, introducing him to male-on-male lovemaking in the gentlest of ways. Tommy shivered anew as he recalled the pleasure they'd given each other only the night before. However, separated again by their jobs as they were, he couldn't help wondering if by changing the nature of his relationship with Jason the gains really outweighed a possible loss.

_-What have I gained?-_

The answer to that was easy. Tommy had always considered Jason his best friend – as close, or closer than his brother, and he now had gained a lover in him as well. Someone who loved him unconditionally, who was willing to let him progress at his own speed, the person he trusted above all others. That was the good part.

_-But what if by becoming lovers I've lost my best friend?-_

It seemed a valid question, and it continued to plague him as he unpacked his bags.

_-I need Jase as my friend. It's the one thing in my life I never expected to change. And so far it hasn't, not when Jase went away to Geneva for almost two years, not when Maligore turned him evil and he tried his damnedest to kill me, not through college and not when he was the, well, odd guy out, kinda, by admitting he was bi while I thought I was plain old hetero. Okay, so I guess that's changed, or I was wrong about myself … anyway, I don't have a problem with that. Not anymore. Not after last weekend.-_

He truly hadn't.

Accepting Jason's nature for what it was had been the easy bit – it had been a somewhat startling revelation when he'd told him a few years ago, yes, but since Jason himself wasn't changed by his bisexuality, it had been a relatively simple thing to adjust his thinking … and the issue had soon been relegated to the far back of his mind. It just was part of Jason, like the fact that he had dark hair or wore size 10 shoes, only to be remembered when it was _relevant _to a specific situation. However, realizing that he himself could be attracted to another man, to his best friend, had taken some serious thought and mental readjustments for Tommy. But he'd done it, aided by the fact that Jason had simply confessed his feelings and left it to Tommy to deal with it as he wished, never asking for more than he was ready to give.

However, Tommy couldn't help but wonder how their friendship would fare from now on. How were they going to interact with each other the next time they met? More importantly even, what kind of behavior did Jason expect of him in public? Would he expect them to hold hands, or something? Hug? Or even … kiss? The idea made Tommy vaguely uncomfortable.

_-I don't mind hugging or kissing Jase in private. Nor am I ashamed of what we did. But I also don't want to get all mushy with him, especially in front of other people – that doesn't seem right somehow.-_

The alternative seemed to be to pretend nothing at all had changed.

_-Thing is, something has changed. We have changed. Maybe not who we are, but … what we are. Damn!-_

Frustrated, Tommy went back onto the landing, yanked open the hallway closet door and threw his duffle bag inside. His next stop was the bathroom; then, he went to bed. Lying in the darkness, he stared blindly at the ceiling as he tried to relax … and not miss having Jason's warm body next to him.

_-I can't act as if this last weekend never happened – and I don't think Jase can, either. It was too good, felt too right … hell, I love him too much to treat him like anyone else!-_

But he had no idea whatsoever how he _should _treat his friend … brother … lover now. Or really how he wanted to _be_ treated. When they were alone, there wouldn't be a problem; they'd tease and banter as usual, and slip in some kissing and friendly groping whenever the mood struck them. Just as they'd done before spring break. But what if Jason, who definitely was more uninhibited than him, decided to do so in front of their friends? Or … their parents?

"I'm not ready for that," Tommy murmured into the silent room. "Sorry, Bro." He sighed. Things would definitely be easier all around if Jason was a girl. _-Or if I was.- _However, they weren't, and thus would have to deal with this issue.

"We need to talk, Bro," Tommy yawned, suddenly tired, and scrunched up his pillow into a more comfortable shape. "Next time we meet. Maybe even when we talk on the phone." He closed his eyes. Or they could email, use a chat program … he was still trying to think of a way to bring up the subject as naturally and as soon as possible when he fell asleep.

**---**

The next few days went by in a haze of classes, parent-teacher conferences and a minor brouhaha about a student who nearly got himself arrested for mixing up a batch of TATP – a natural explosive more volatile than nitroglycerine. Luckily, nobody got hurt, but as the idiot kid had been applying knowledge he'd learned in Tommy's science class, Tommy had had a hard time convincing himself it hadn't been _his_ fault. Dealing with his sense of responsibility and guilt on top of everything else kept Tommy too busy for anything but the routine tasks of life. In the scant hours of free time he had, he was unsure whether that was a good thing or not, but consoled himself with the notion that he'd have the weekend to think about his relationship with Jason. However, he got a rather frantic phone call from the lab at Mercer Industries that led to him working all Saturday and most of Sunday as well. And when Anton issued an invitation to stay for dinner, the prospect of a well-cooked meal, with adult company, was too tempting to refuse. Tommy promised himself he'd tackle the problem the following weekend, but on Thursday night found himself diverted yet _again_ … this time by the source of his problem.

He was grading tests when the phone rang. Yanked abruptly out of his concentration, his voice held more than a hint of irritation when he picked up the receiver.

"Dr. Oliver."

_"Hey, Bro."_

Only one person had ever used those particular words, with such warmth, to him. With a spontaneous smile, Tommy dropped his pen and leaned back in his chair.

"Jase. What's up?"

_"Since you're not here, nothing, unfortunately," _Jason teased, and Tommy had to laugh even as the seductive tone sent a shiver all the way into his groin. He stifled a moan.

"Says the sex maniac," he replied dryly, surprised at his own reaction. Only in the very early stages of his relationship with Kimberly had just hearing a person's voice on the phone caused him to feel butterflies dancing this madly in his stomach.

_"I didn't hear you complaining up in the mountains."_

"Well …" Tommy drawled, mentally chasing the colorful creatures churning his innards into a container where they would hopefully settle down. "Would it have done any good?"

_"Of course it would," _Jason said, suddenly serious. _"You know I'd never do anything you're not okay with … don't you?"_

That was precisely what Tommy needed to talk about with Jason, but a rueful glance at the stack of tests cluttering his desk and the lateness of the hour told him this wasn't the time. Besides, he really preferred to discuss something as important as this in person.

"I do; stop worrying. I was just kinda messing with you."

_"Tommy … this – shit, you, our relationship is too important for me to joke about," _Jason continued, still very serious … and sounding slightly hurt. Tommy hurried to reassure him.

"Same here, Bro. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

_"Okay," _came the reply after a second of silence. _"I'm sorry, too; I shouldn't tease about this."_

"Hey, it's cool, okay? _We're _cool."

_"Whew." _

Tommy had to chuckle at the exaggerated sigh of relief he heard. But he had work to do, so regretfully he changed the subject. "Why _did _you call?" he asked. "Not that I don't like hearing from you, but unfortunately duty calls …"

_"Don't tell me – papers to grade?"_ Being a teacher himself, Jason knew the downsides of their profession only too well.

"Yeah," Tommy said, grimacing. "Among other things. And I can't help but wish that kids nowadays knew at least how to express themselves properly. I'm no English teacher, so my tests rarely give the kids much of a chance to mutilate the language, but Miss Applebee would've killed us for sure if we'd turned in work like that. What some of my students are doing to science … let's just say that the periodic table and the theory of evolution will never be the same."

_"I don't think I wanna know."_

"You don't, trust me." Tommy eyed the pile of papers before him disgustedly. "But speaking of tests … I really have to get back to them."

Jason sighed with rueful understanding. _"I finished my latest batch yesterday. Not fun. But to answer your question, I called to ask whether you'd be free to come over here Saturday."_

"Day after tomorrow? I think so, why?"

_"Adam contacted me earlier; seems Rocky is coming home unexpectedly, and since Adam has business in Los Angeles and Billy and Trini are still around, we were thinking about having a get-together this weekend," _Jason explained. _"I know it's rather short notice, but it's a chance to meet up with at least half of the gang – think you can make it?"_

Tommy was already doing some rapid mental calculations. "I'd need to put in an all-nighter tomorrow to complete a project for Mercer, and I'd have to cancel a meeting with Conner on Sunday, but I'm sure he'll understand. After all, he drops everything as well if there's a chance he can get together with Ethan, Trent and Kira. But, yeah."

_"Then you'll come?"_

Suddenly, life had turned colorful and exciting again. "Barring accidents or alien invasions, sure. Where and when?"

_"Don't jinx it, Bro," _Jason laughed. _"You know how often we were interrupted by Rita, Zedd and Mondo."_

"Uh, yeah," Tommy grimaced. "Sorry."

_"Hmph. Anyway, we were thinking about having a picnic or something in the park – just like old times. Saturday afternoon, around three."_

"Sounds good. That way, I can still get some sleep and have plenty of time for the drive."

_"Great. You gonna stay overnight with your folks, or what?"_

"I don't know; ever since Mom started collecting antiques, there's no telling whether they'll be home or not. I might have to check into a hotel."

_"Don't be an idiot. You can stay with me at my place."_

The prospect was incredibly appealing. To spend quiet time with Jason, to hold him and be held, maybe have a repeat performance of the incredible sex they'd shared sounded too good to be true, and Tommy was tempted to agree on the spot. Yet at the same time, he also found himself strangely reluctant. Somehow, having a tryst with Jason at some … well, neutral place like his uncle's cabin was okay, but in Jason's or his home? That was a completely different kettle of fish. He couldn't say _why_ he balked at the idea, but Tommy found he just couldn't bring himself to consent to sleeping at Jason's apartment – even if that was all they did.

Tommy didn't have the words to explain that to Jason, especially not over the phone. He was tempted to make a crack about the state of the futon Jason used as a spare bed in his apartment, but in light of their recent activities it would probably come across all wrong, and Tommy wanted no misunderstandings between them. So …

"We'll see. I'll check with my folks first; they'll never forgive me if I come to Angel Grove and am not staying with them if they're home." Which was even the truth, as far as it went. "I'll let you know, okay?"

_"Sure. See you in two days, then."_ Jason's easy acceptance of his procrastination twinged Tommy's conscience. He hated being evasive, but needed time to think this through, to determine how to handle the situation in the future … as well as sit down with Jason and _talk_. At length, in depth, about everything. If nothing else, they could surely find a few quiet minutes alone this weekend to try and find a date to have that discussion sometime soon, couldn't they?

_-Very soon.-_

"Right. I'll meet you in the park – the picnic area next to the playground, as usual?"

_"Uh huh. Just like old times," _Jason laughed. _"It's gonna be great meeting at least some of the guys again; we really ought to set up a kind of schedule for reunions."_

"Yeah. And sounds like a plan."

_"Okay. I'll leave you to your tests then – don't be too hard on the kids."_

Tommy snorted. "Only as hard as they deserve."

_"If you say so. Bye, Tom. Take care on the drive, willya? You're not racing anymore," _Jason needled good-naturedly. Before Tommy could comment, he continued, far more softly and intimately. _"I miss you, Bro."_

His throat suddenly tight, Tommy had to swallow. "Miss you too." Missed the easy camaraderie they had always shared, the understanding, acceptance and support Jason had always given him … and he also missed everything else they'd done so recently. _-To feel his hands on me again … his lips and tongue … taking him into my mouth … to be able to make him as crazy with wanting as he does me … aw, man!-_

His musings were interrupted by the deep voice whispering in his ear through the receiver.

_"Love ya. Night."_

A soft click told him that Jason had cut the connection. With a smile and feeling warmed all over, Tommy placed the phone back into the charger. "Love ya too, Jase," he murmured, his eyes straying briefly towards the window and the road outside – the one eventually leading to the highway towards Angel Grove. Then, he ruefully shook his head and reached for his pen. He might _want_ to daydream about his lover, but not now. Now, he had tests to grade.

**---**

On the way to Angel Grove, all of Tommy's apprehensions about meeting Jason again for the first time since they'd become lovers returned with a vengeance.

_- What if we give ourselves away by accident? I'm not ready for that!- _

Some part of him knew it was an unfounded fear, but try as he might it wouldn't go away. He had no chance to solve his dilemma, though, as he drove through the familiar streets to the place where he and his friends had spent much of their time together – where so many momentous things had happened in not only his, but in all of their lives. Sooner than he'd thought, he reached Angel Grove Park.

_-It really feels like old times,-_ Tommy mused as he parked his car near the entrance. If he was not mistaken, this was even the very spot he'd always preferred. _-The only difference being, not everybody's going to be here, we're all no longer in high school, and we can be reasonably sure these days that there won't be a monster attack. Fingers crossed!- _He grabbed a bag of munchies from the back seat and walked slowly towards the picnic area; when he was still several yards away he could already make out Rocky's laughter and the deep, amused tones of Jason's voice.

As he crossed the remaining distance, Tommy acknowledged ruefully that he had no idea whether his suddenly accelerated heart rate was due to excitement at seeing some of his friends again as a group, whether it was the prospect of meeting Jason again, or because of apprehension over what Jason might do or say to him in public.

_-Probably a little of everything …damn, I wish I'd had a chance to talk to him before today after all!- _He wondered if he should try to take Jason aside for a cautionary word, but it was too late; Trini spotted him just as he cleared the corner. A brilliant smile lit up her delicate features, and she jumped up to meet him.

"Tommy! How good to see you again!"

He caught her in a friendly hug and kissed Trini's cheek. "Ditto. It's been way too long." He gave her a thorough once-over. "Marriage sure agrees with you, girl – you're looking great!" He nodded at her beaming husband. "You, too, Bill. Care to share your secret with the rest of us single stiffs?"

The green-eyed scientist grinned. "I would postulate a mixture of marital bliss, domestic contentment and general fortitude to be responsible for our mutual state of apparent well-being."

Rocky's features drew into a frown of incomprehension. "Say what?"

Trini laughed, disengaged herself from Tommy's hug and shook her head indulgently at her trying-to-look-innocent spouse.

"Short version, I guess we're just lucky." Her almond eyes twinkled merrily.

Rocky snorted. "Guess you're right. But why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"I believe I just did," Billy said with a perfectly straight face, then cracked up as Jason good-naturedly rolled his eyes and Adam sighed long-sufferingly. "To use the vernacular, 'gotcha'!"

"Don't get used to it, buddy. I'd say between Tommy's scientific training and Adam's writing experience, your days of confusing us with Billyspeak may well be over. And the rest of us aren't _too _far behind, right, guys?" Jason winked at Tommy and ambled over.

Rocky was laughing as well. "Yeah. Mind, I may take a few seconds to translate from Billy to plain English, but that doesn't mean you're as incomprehensible to me as you used to be in the beginning." His grin widened as Billy's face fell. "Do I get to say 'gotcha back' now?"

Tommy was distracted from the comment Adam made to that when Jason reached him and touched his shoulder. "Glad you're here, Bro," Jason murmured warmly.

Was it his imagination, or did the large hand linger longer than usual? Tommy couldn't say, but he found himself tense involuntarily. "Uh huh," he managed to reply through suddenly stiff lips. "Ditto." It was all he could do not to shrug off the friendly touch.

Jason gave him a slightly surprised look, but to Tommy's relief let his hand fall back to his side. "Good. Now, shall we get this party started?"

"Yeah," Rocky said enthusiastically. "The barbecue's ready to go, the burgers are waiting and I _really _want another taste of that pasta salad Trini brought." He met the assorted snickers with wide eyes. "What? I'm starving!"

"So what else is new?" Tommy quipped, covering his unease with humor.

"Hey! I resemble that remark!" Rocky tried to look offended, but couldn't sustain his air of injured innocence in the face of his friends' amusement.

"I'm so glad to see that some things never change," Adam said quietly, giving his childhood friend a fond smile. "Your appetite, Billy's hyperextended vocabulary, Jase and Tommy's friendship …"

Midnight eyes met Tommy's with a look that spoke volumes, and Tommy knewin that very instant that Jason was thinking the same thing he was. _-If only you knew!-_

"Well, we're all older now," was all he said though, striving for a lightness he didn't truly feel.

"And hopefully a little wiser," Jason added quietly. "More experienced, more in tune with people and the world … more ready to live our lives the way we dreamed of." He sent a small smile Tommy's way, inviting him to share the sentiment.

Tommy nearly flinched. For the life of him, he couldn't bring himself to return either Jason's smile or acknowledge his words. Instead, he looked away, unable to not apply Jason's harmless-enough statement to their altered relationship, and wondered for a few frantic seconds whether their friends were reading a double meaning into the remark as well. Of course, they only would if they were aware of the change that had occurred, and surely Jason hadn't told them – or had he? _-Nah. He wouldn't – not without talking it over with me first. In any case, if we ever tell anyone, our folks should be the first to know.- _

Luckily, Rocky diffused his anxiety as he laughed. "Hey, speak for yourself! Growing older may be inevitable, but growing _up _sure isn't – and I for one refuse to ever grow up past the point where I can't enjoy hanging with my best friends and good food!"

"Are you sure you got that in the right order, Rocky?" Jason jibed amidst laughter from all.

Rocky pouted. "Of course! Friends are forever; food can go bad and spoil."

"Speaking of which, I think we can put the burgers onto the grill now before they do," Adam remarked with a sly smile, cutting off the imminent verbal sparring match. "C'mon, Rocko, help me."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Eagerly, Rocky grabbed a package of meat patties and all but dragged Adam to the glowing coals.

The other four settled around the picnic table to spread out the rest of their simple feast and got caught up with their lives. The big news was of course Rocky's disclosure that after he'd closed his dojo he now was working as a counselor/instructor to troubled kids at the Boys Town community in Nebraska – a job that all agreed was perfectly suited to his talents. The succulent burgers were eaten amid lots of laughter, reminiscences and general catching up. Everybody was having a great time … except Tommy; what should have been a reunion filled with fun and laughter was rapidly turning into a nightmare of torturous apprehension and nerves for him.

Every look Jason gave him, every gesture he made seemed to shout 'look at us, we're no longer just friends, but lovers now!'. Even worse was when Jason tried to touch him. It was completely irrational, he knew, and yet …

Tommy tried his best to act as if nothing had happened, that everything was as it used to be – but at the same time attempted to stay as far away from Jason as possible, tried to avoid _speaking _to him, even – thereby only increasing his fear that their friends would notice that something _had _changed. Which was the very last thing he wanted. On some level Tommy realized that _he _was the one behaving differently, not Jason, yet he couldn't seem to help himself. Deep down, he knew that anything Jason did or said to him was perfectly ordinary. Jason certainly wasn't making the innuendoes his imagination insisted on hearing, and every casual touch he offered was the same as always. He was just being his best friend.

_-What happens if he crosses the line, though? What if I make a mistake and betray what's between us now?-_

He didn't know. And somehow, the not knowing made everything worse. His only hope was that nobody would pick up on the fact how on edge he felt in the company of the people with whom he should be most at ease.

**---**

Nobody did – except Jason, that is. At first, he'd thought he was imagining things, that Tommy was avoiding him. But when he'd tried a couple of times to take a seat next to Tommy and he had always managed to either find something to do that necessitated getting up at that very moment, deliberately turned away from him to speak to someone else or lastly even scooted over to embroil Billy into a scientific discussion that left everybody else pretty clueless, it became more and more obvious that he _wasn't _seeing things that weren't there. It was enough to drive Jason up the nearest tree with frustration … and it also worried him.

_-What's going on here? Is something wrong? Is he okay? Or … is he having second thoughts about us?-_

The unbidden, most unwelcome thought made his mouth go dry with sudden fear. He couldn't lose Tommy – not after what they'd shared so recently! Telling himself not to borrow trouble where none likely existed, Jason began to seriously consider whether he shouldn't just drag Tommy aside and demand to know what was the matter when he was distracted by Trini.

She touched Jason's arm to catch his attention. "Do you feel as shunted aside as I do?" she asked with a smile.

"Huh?" This was way too close to how he felt; had Trini noticed that Tommy seemed to be avoiding him, that there was some kind of inexplicable strain? Jason experienced a slight jolt of alarm; he wasn't ready to share the change in their relationship with anyone yet, and Trini had always been exceptionally perceptive. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when her next words revealed she was still blissfully unaware of how things really stood between him and Tommy.

The slender Asian winked. "Well, look at those two!" She indicated Billy and Tommy. "Lost in fossils, the Mesozoic and mechanics. I can still remember when most of Tommy's knowledge about dinosaurs and operating, much less _building_, sophisticated machinery came from either watching _Jurassic Park_ or from dealing with our zords, and Billy had no-one to talk the science of everything with but me." She sighed comically. "I guess if I didn't like Tommy so much as a friend and weren't just happy for Billy, I just might feel a teensy bit jealous," she said lightly.

Jason summoned a grin for her sake. "Hmm, yeah, I see what you mean. If I didn't know both of 'em better as well, I might be afraid Tommy's found a new best friend." As soon as he said it, Jason felt another jolt of fear. What if Tommy _was _looking for someone else to be friends with now? What if becoming lovers _had _changed the dynamics of their friendship to a point where they'd exchanged one aspect for another … which might not prove as stable and enduring? He couldn't have lost Tommy as a friend, he just _couldn't_!Jason mentally shook himself. Tommy wasn't the type of guy to drop someone just because something or someone new came along – and Jason himself would do everything in his power to see to it that they _didn't _lose anything. He renewed his resolve to think of their new status as an enhancement of their friendship, not a detriment.

_-But what if the fact that he's gone out of his way to stay as far away from me as possible all afternoon has not been a coincidence? What if he regrets spring break?- _

Telling himself he was being ridiculous, Jason adroitly changed the subject with a small joke and engaged Trini in a discussion of what their plans were for the summer – moving across the country to MIT was going to be a major project, and he offered unhesitatingly to help if necessary. Trini gratefully accepted. "We can always use a friend's help. Thanks, Jason."

"Hey, anytime for you guys."

Too soon for everybody's liking, clean-up time came and the six former Rangers reluctantly packed up their things. As they were loading leftovers into their respective cars, Jason finally managed a minute alone with Tommy, behind the raised hood of his car's trunk.

"So, are you staying with me?" he asked hopefully. Maybe they could get to the root of whatever was eating Tommy over a quiet dinner at his apartment. "Mom met your folks at the market yesterday; they'll be out of town for an antiques fair, so they won't be home this weekend," he added as he stowed a bag of trash and a cooler Tommy handed to him into separate corners. "Unless you need to house-sit?"

_-Damn. I'd hoped he didn't know.- _Suddenly panicking, fighting the urge to look around if none of the others had overheard, Tommy just shook his head. "Sorry, can't."

"Why not?" Jason asked reasonably. "We could crash my parents' house for breakfast, if you like; maybe I can even talk mom into making her blueberry pancakes. I know you love them, and it's been ages since I had some," he added as an extra enticement.

Sharing breakfast with Jason and the Scotts, at _their _house, most likely after a night of torrid sex? No way. What if his mother noticed something different about them, or his father made a crack about their spending the night together that would be hitting way too close to home? Tommy _couldn't _face the possibility and turned away.

"No."

Startled by the curt refusal, Jason stopped in his tracks and stared at Tommy, who resolutely kept his back towards him. "Why not?" Jason repeated, trying not to feel hurt. "It's been two weeks since we saw each other on spring break; I thought that since you're already here we could … spend some more time together." The almost imperceptible pause in Jason's words spoke volumes to Tommy, as he could clearly read _'we could make love again' _ in the innocent yet hopeful statement.

"I just can't, okay?" he snapped, more sharply than he'd intended, and stepped away from Jason's vehicle to walk over to Trini and Billy.

Jason stayed rooted to the spot, following the retreating back with a pained look in his eyes. _-So I was right; something is seriously wrong. And the only thing that makes sense is … he's having second thoughts.- _The realization hurt. _-More than I ever imagined it would.- _Jason shuddered once, then deliberately shut down all emotions and closed the lid of the trunk. He mechanically said his farewells to Adam and Rocky soon after, forcing a smile he didn't feel when Trini came over to hug him goodbye.

"We'll be leaving for Massachusetts in a week or so; if you really won't mind helping load furniture into the U-Haul …"

"I wouldn't have offered if I did," Jason reassured his friend, trying not to look at Tommy who stood next to Billy, playing with his car keys as if he couldn't wait to leave Angel Grove Park. _-And me.- _"Just give me a call, and I'll be there."

"In that case, I will," Trini smiled. "Thanks, Jase, you're the best."

"So are you." He fleetingly touched her sleek hair. "Did I ever tell you how happy I am for you and Bill?"

Trini beamed at Jason. "Yes, but it's nice to hear again," she teased. "I'm just waiting for the day when I can say the same to you and _your _wife!"

_-You're gonna have a long wait.- _Jason's eyes involuntarily flew once more to Tommy who was close enough to have overheard Trini's innocent remark. When he just glanced aside, his expression filled with something indefinable that seemed suspiciously like guilt or shame, Jason felt himself blanch. He barely managed to swallow a bitter laugh and gave Trini a non-committal reply that he could never remember afterwards. It seemed to satisfy her, though, because with a wave she scurried over to where Billy was patiently waiting for her. Then the two drove off, leaving Jason and Tommy alone in the parking lot.

Jason took a couple of steps towards his friend, but stopped when Tommy's posture stiffened in refusal.

"Tommy? What's wrong?" Jason asked, hoping against hope that his worst fears weren't true, that something else was on Tommy's mind … wishing he could just close the distance between them. They were standing less than two meters apart, but it might as well have been miles – or so it felt.

"Nothing."

It was a patent lie, and Jason knew it. "Don't give me that," he pleaded. "I can see that you're upset about something, and I'd like to help if I can, but I don't know how, or with what unless you tell me. Please?"

Tommy could read the hurt and confusion in Jason's eyes, wanted to do or say something, _anything_ to make it go away, but to his secret horror the words coming out of his mouth without thought only made things infinitely worse.

"There's nothing wrong with me, period. And I wish you'd leave me alone!"

Jason flinched as if he'd been slapped. The remaining color slowly drained from his face until he was as pale as Tommy had ever seen him, only his eyes burning an aching hole into Tommy's soul.

"I see," he said slowly, his voice dead. "Okay. If that's what you want."

_'No! I want to take it back! I want you!' _the little voice in Tommy's mind cried, horrified at the terribly wrong turn things had taken somehow. But his mouth wouldn't open, his body wouldn't move. Tommy remained standing immobile by his car, staring stonily at his best friend as the silence between them grew to gigantic proportions.

At last, Jason shuddered once and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were completely devoid of life. Jason looked at Tommy as if he wanted to imprint the memory of him as deeply into his mind as he could, then an invisible shutter seemed to fall between them.

"Good-bye, Tommy."

Two words, spoken so quietly Tommy could barely hear them. And yet they sounded as loud as a funeral bell. Before he could react, Jason turned – slowly, woodenly, like an old man – and got into his car. The door snicked shut, the engine came to life, and with a muted crunch of gravel, Jason drove away, leaving Tommy standing lost and forlorn in the now-deserted parking lot.

**---**

_-What have I done?-_

The thought wouldn't leave Tommy's mind, through a lonely dinner at some nondescript restaurant and an even lonelier evening spent staring at the ceiling of an impersonal hotel room.

_-I've been a complete idiot.-_

More than likely, in a single afternoon he'd managed to do some serious harm to his relationship with Jason.

_-Do I even have a relationship with him anymore? Are we still lovers? Or even just friends?-_

He shuddered inwardly at the very real chance that by acting the way he did he might've lost Jason altogether. With the clarity of hindsight, he couldn't believe how he'd let his – totally unfounded, as it turned out – apprehensions possibly ruin what was one of the best things that ever happened to him in his life. As Tommy lay on his bed in his hotel room, trying to ignore the hollowness inside himself, he called himself every kind of fool.

_-I shouldn't have let my insecurities get the better of me like that. I should've just taken him aside at the beginning and asked him for … what? Caution? Circumspection? Yeah – but did I really have to? Probably not,- _he conceded at last. _-It always was unnecessary, and I should've known. Most of all, I should never have blown Jase off like that. What Jason did …it wasn't anything different from the way we always behaved with each other. We've always shared looks, smiles, even small touches, right from the start, when he held out his hand to me on that beach all those years ago and told me I was needed.-_

Sure, at the time they'd all thought the Rangers needed him as the Green Ranger, but as it turned out it applied on a personal level as well. Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy and Zack needed Tommy as their friend just like he'd needed them. Later, Aisha, Adam and Rocky were added into that circle, and finally Tanya and Katherine. They'd all become friends, in the best possible sense of the word. That friendship endured still, through separation, broken hearts and diverging life paths. For all of them. As for Jason and Tommy, though, that need had come to transcend everything.

_-We went_ _from being best friends to being closer than brothers. And now, finally even beyond that as lovers. Nothing has ever felt so right as when Jase told me he loved me – and more so when we took that last step into intimacy. How could I have been so utterly stupid to think that Jase would ever do something to jeopardize what we've found?-_

Tommy groaned. He'd made a few mistakes in his life, but he was certain that none was as bad as doubting Jason, to believe for one moment that he'd betray his trust like he'd feared. What was worse, he'd compounded his mistake by hurting the man he loved. Badly.

_-God, the look in his eyes when I told him to leave me alone. It was as if I'd ripped out his heart and shredded it to pieces!-_

Which he may well have done, although he never meant to. In the wake of that realization, an even worse thought made Tommy go cold with dread all over.

_-What if … what if Jase thinks I'm dumping him?-_

It didn't bear thinking about. Why was it so easy to see now how his attitude, his actions and words must've seemed to Jason when all he'd wanted was to be careful, to not reveal to the world just yet what had grown between them? If he'd just said a quiet word, or even just asked Jason to wait until they had privacy … no, he did have to go and be a total asshole, for no reason at all.

**---**

"I've got to make things right again," Tommy murmured into the quiet room after what seemed like forever. "Only, how?"

The answer was simple. Go find Jason, tell him he was sorry and hope to the heavens that he could find it in him to forgive and forget.

Giving himself no time to dwell on the chance that it might not be quite as simple to actually _do _what he had to, or worse, that Jason wouldn't want to accept his apology, Tommy rolled off the bed, scrambled into his clothes and hurriedly left for his car.

First, he drove by Jason's apartment. But the windows were dark and Jason's car wasn't anywhere to be seen. He didn't even bother to stop and ring the door bell; if he knew Jason at all, there was only one place where he might've gone to lick his wounds. Without hesitation, he made an illegal U-turn and headed out of town, towards the beach.

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief as he spied the black-and-red 4X4 parked next to the road, at the dirt-path turnoff leading to the cove where they'd hidden Trey of Triforia all those years ago. He left his jeep next to Jason's car and headed on foot towards the dunes. As he negotiated the climb down to the beach, he reflected on how similar yet different they were – in times of trouble, both of them tended to seek solitude, but where Tommy would head for the mountains Jason would always find the space he needed at a spot where the sound of waves rolling towards shore could help soothe a mind in turmoil.

Soon, he reached the rock-strewn sand and turned his steps towards the cave where Trey had stayed. A weight dropped off his heart as he could make out a lonely figure sitting on a boulder right at the water's edge, silhouetted faintly against the vastness of the ocean. Even in the dark of night and from several meters away, Tommy could see that the broad shoulders were tense and hunched over, could read pain in every line of the powerful body he'd come to know so well. His heart lurched with sympathy and fear. Even from behind, Jason looked lonely and miserable, and Tommy felt worse by realizing that he was responsible. _Could _he repair the damage he'd inflicted?

_-God, I hope so!-_

Quietly, he came closer. The dark head lifted minutely as the sand crunched under his feet, but other than that Jason gave no sign that he was aware of Tommy's presence. Silently, Tommy chose a rock to sit on as well – close enough that they could talk, but distant enough that Jason wouldn't feel crowded or pressured. Although he wanted nothing more than to wrap Jason into his arms and beg his forgiveness, Tommy forced himself to hold back; to let Jason make the first move. Then, he waited.

It seemed like hours, but at long last Jason turned his head slightly and glanced at Tommy. The bleakness in his dark eyes was so profound that Tommy's breath caught and he could barely find his voice.

"I'm sorry." It sounded totally inadequate, and probably was, but it was the only thing he could think of. It _had _to be said … and it was the simple truth.

Jason searched his eyes for long minutes, then nodded briefly and sighed. "Yeah, me too."

Tommy frowned. Why was Jason apologizing to _him_? He hadn't done anything wrong – the fault was all his! "What for?" he asked, his voice hushed and bewildered.

Jason turned away again, staring once more at the horizon. "For seeing only my needs last year and making you choose things you're not comfortable with. For taking advantage of a situation where you needed a friend and pressuring you into something you don't really want." He paused, then added so softly that his words were nearly drowned by the gentle lapping of the waves. "I'm sorry for thinking that my dream could come true."

_-Huh?-_

"What?" Tommy asked, thoroughly confused. This wasn't what he'd expected at all. "What the _hell _are you talking about?"

As if he hadn't heard the question, Jason continued, his deep voice rough with emotion. "I don't blame you for not wanting to change what you are just to humor me. I just wish you'd have reconsidered and stopped before spring break; that way, I'd never have hoped we had a chance. And I wish you'd have found another way of letting me know. But, okay," he shrugged, still not looking at Tommy. "I'll accept it. And maybe one day, we can even be friends again." He swallowed. "If you can … I wouldn't want to lose that, too."

Tommy felt as if someone had dropped him into the _Twilight Zone_. "Jase, you're not making any sense," he said. "You have nothing – _nothing_ to be sorry for; I'm the one who has to apologize to _you_. And you certainly haven't lost me!"

Jason gave him a pain-filled look.

"Haven't I? You've been practically cutting me all day, wouldn't look at me, speak to me, hell, you went out of your way to not even be _near _me. You even told me right out that I should leave you alone – that's not what friends do. What was I supposed to think? The only reason I _could _come up with for you acting like that is that you no longer want to be lovers; that you're feeling either guilty or ashamed for what we shared …"

Horrified, Tommy sat up. "No! Jase, I'm not!"

"Aren't you?" Jason asked, his expression tinged with bitterness.

Trying to slow his racing heartbeat, Tommy shook his head. "No," he repeated, forcing calmness onto himself. Getting all worked up wouldn't help either of them. "As far as I'm concerned, we'll always be friends, no matter what – even if I totally fucked up today. There's nothing to feel guilty for. And I could never be ashamed of loving you – or making love with you."

Jason gasped softly, and a bit of color returned to his pale face. But he was still wary, still kept his distance as he sought to read Tommy's eyes. Tommy met that searching glance steadily, hoping Jason could see the truth.

At last, Jason blinked, some of the tension leaving his body. "But … but why?" he wondered, puzzled. "Why did you act so weird then?"

Sighing, Tommy shook his head. "I wish I knew." Then, he smiled ruefully. "Wait, that's not true – I _do _know. It was me being an idiot and unthinking asshole," he murmured. "_That's _what I was apologizing for. Please stop thinking it was something you did. It wasn't; this whole mess is completely my fault."

Slowly, reluctantly Jason swung his legs around to face Tommy. "Tom, I want to believe you, but … how can I when I don't understand?"

"If you'll listen, I'll try to explain," Tommy replied. "Only, I've got to warn you – it's kinda complicated, and I don't understand everything myself, so … bear with me, please?"

"Of course. Just talk to me," Jason requested, hope rising cautiously within him.

Tommy drew a shuddering breath. "That's exactly what I wanted to do before we met again after spring break," he sighed. "But today was such short notice, I never had the chance. I really should've taken the time, but … anyway, here goes."

Haltingly, pausing often to order his thoughts and find the right words, Tommy related the jumble of emotions he'd gone through. He held nothing back, telling Jason exactly about his apprehensions and fears and how his misguided imagination had exaggerated and distorted every word, look and gesture. By the time Tommy finally wound down, he was squirming with embarrassment and hung his head. "I let things spiral totally out of control, and I shouldn't have. If I'd just stopped to really _think_ for a minute … but I didn't, so I guess I have something to feel guilty about after all," he murmured. "I never wanted to hurt you, and I know I did."

"I don't get it," Jason said slowly after he'd listened to Tommy's explanation. It made sense, in a convoluted kind of way, he supposed, but … "Why would you think that our friends would find it odd if I touched you? We've _always_ touched, even as teenagers; it's what made our friendship so special. What has changed?"

" Nothing, really. I guess … I kind of was afraid _we'd_ changed," Tommy said weakly.

"Have we really? Sure, we're lovers now, but I never wanted us to stop being best friends. I thought that's what you wanted, too," Jason wondered. "It's a change, yes, but I'd like to believe it's a good one. Don't you?"

"It is. I know. Told you I was being an idiot," Tommy sighed.

"Yes. And I would never tell anyone about us without clearing it with you first," Jason continued.

"I know that, too."

"So where does that leave us?"

"Wherever you want it," Tommy stated firmly. "I know I really messed up, and I take full blame. I just hope you can forgive me in time."

For the first time since the afternoon, Jason found a small, genuine smile. "Do I have a choice?" he asked, his voice warm again.

Seeing that tiny smile, hearing the soft tone, Tommy felt a surge of hope that just maybe he hadn't thrown everything away forever. He gazed earnestly at Jason. "Oh yeah. Whichever way you choose to take our relationship, I swear I'll abide by any decision you want to make."

Jason fixed him with a serious glance. "What if I decide I want us to come out tomorrow – to everybody?"

Tommy swallowed, then nodded. It wasn't what he wanted at this time in his life, he still was trying to adjust to loving another man, but if that was the price he'd have to pay to make amends, he'd do it and face the consequences head-on. Having Jason back in his arms – -_and back in my bed!- _– would be more than worth it. "I'd prefer if we could wait some time, but if that's what you want … okay."

"Any reason why we should wait?" Jason asked neutrally. Tommy took a moment to reflect carefully before he replied as honestly as he could.

"Well … I guess I'd like to get used to this whole 'being in love with another guy' thing some more before we tell anyone," he said slowly. "After all, it'spretty new to me. You've known you're bi since when – '95, '96? That's almost ten years; long enough to feel comfortable about it. Whereas I've been happily straight until last year – never gave it serious thought, anyway, that I could be bi too."

"Do you regret finding that out about yourself?"

"No," Tommy replied without hesitation. "To be honest, I wouldn't have missed not knowing, but it felt so incredibly right when you told me you loved me, realizing I loved you too, that accepting it was real easy … because you made it so." He smiled reminiscently. "If I _hadn't _been able to accept it, I would never have known how great making love with you is. And thatis something I _would _miss. A lot."

Jason considered his answer, then nodded once. "Fair enough."

They sat silently side by side for several minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. They had cleared the air between them, and hopefully would be able to go on from here together. _If_ Jason decided to accept Tommy's apology, that is. At last, Tommy couldn't stand the suspense any longer.

"So … think you can forgive me?"

That tiny, cautious smile widened and crept back into the dark eyes. "Guess I'll have to."

Tommy slumped and closed his eyes with relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." There was a rustle of movement, and Tommy looked up again. Jason had scooted towards the edge of his boulder, and was indicating the space at his side with a jerk of his head. Quickly, Tommy left his own rock and joined his friend. It was a tight fit, and instinctively he draped an arm around Jason's shoulders to gain a more secure hold. Both froze for a second, then Jason chuckled softly, slipped his own arm around Tommy's waist and rested his head against his neck.

"Next time you have a problem or jitters or whatever, don't stew on 'em," he said. "Talk to me. Okay?"

Tommy nodded. "I will."

They sat in their loose embrace for several moments, soaking up the peace of pre-dawn surrounding them until Jason spoke.

"About coming out …"

"Yeah?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm not ready to tell anyone yet, either."

"Thanks." They shared a fond glance, finally in tune with each other again. Then, a faraway look passed over Jason's expression.

"Although … a part of me wants to shout from the highest rooftop I can find that I love you," he whispered. "And that you love me. Is that so wrong?"

"It's not wrong at all," Tommy reassured him. "That's kind of how I feel sometimes, too – when I'm not being a paranoid asshole." He smiled. "And if we're meant to last, someday we'll do it. Together."

Jason smiled back. "Right. And in the meantime, we'll keep it our secret."

"I'd like that. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

They kissed then, lips and tongues meeting in a soft, warm and sensual dance. Inevitably, as their kiss deepened and passion rose languorously, their hands didn't stay idle, either, rediscovering contours of muscular chests, sensitive nipples and hardening flesh. When they finally stopped for air, Jason moaned softly and Tommy sighed.

"I wish I could stay another day. I could kick myself for wasting the opportunity, but I _have_ to go back tonight," he muttered.

"There'll be other times," Jason consoled him, letting his own regret show. "How about I come to Reefside in a couple of weeks or so?"

Tommy smiled. "I'd like that. And after that, I'll come here again …"

"Alternating visits? Sounds like a plan."

"Cool. We can set up a schedule online next week."

"Right. Meanwhile, though …" Jason began to nibble down Tommy's neck, from behind his ear towards his mouth, slipping a hand underneath his shirt to touch warm skin.

"What?" Tommy willingly followed his friend and lover's lead, teasing the smiling lips open with tiny licks. He let his fingers wander from the broad back to Jason's belt buckle.

"There's still enough of the night left, wouldn't you say?" Jason gently pinched a hardening nipple, making Tommy shiver with pleasure.

"Mmm. Definitely." As if he'd done it a hundred times already, Tommy easily slid his fingers into Jason's underwear to encircle hot flesh. Jason gasped and bucked against him.

"Then let's not waste any more time."

They didn't.

_To Be Continued …_


	7. Chilled And Ready

_**Disclaimer: **I'm playing in someone else's sandbox, and unfortunately am not getting paid for it. Damn.  
**Note: **In response to the LJ PRSW 22 challenge, themes #5, dream and #22, watermelon_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 7: Chilled And Ready**

Jason shivered as he was watching Tommy – and for once the goosebumps covering his body owed nothing to desire, but everything to the chill in the early morning air. Once again, they'd gone camping on one of their weekends together, as Tommy _still _was reluctant for them to spend the night together at either of their homes. Personally, Jason thought it was faintly ridiculous, but if that was what Tommy wanted …

_-I'd rather freeze my butt off in a tent in the mountains with him than be warm and comfortable all by myself at my apartment.-_

They were still living and working in different towns, so in order to be together at all, they'd worked out a schedule of alternating, usually bi-weekly visits. It wasn't always easy to make it, though, as Jason was coaching several teams at Angel Grove High and often had to attend games on weekends. But, they managed, and in the intervals kept in touch via regular phone calls and the internet.

Which was all nice and well, but meeting in a chat room was a far cry from actually _being _together, to talk, to play … to make love. All through summer they had met whenever they could, either near Reefside or Angel Grove, more often than not somewhere equidistant for both of them. A few times, they'd opted for a hotel room, but while they both earned adequate salaries they couldn't afford really nice places on a regular basis. Consequently, Jason and Tommy felt that they'd prefer a certain amount of discomfort over getting knowing smirks from bored hotel clerks, having to put up with run-down facilities and feeling generally tawdry. So, camping it was – and they _had _invested in a roomy-enough tent and good-quality gear – but with October well underway, it was becoming increasingly obvious that even the temperate West Coast climate wouldn't hold on forever.

_-We've got to think of something else,- _Jason thought as he reached into the tent behind him to snag a blanket. _-No matter what Tommy says, I'm not gonna camp out in the snow!- _He draped the plaid around his shoulders, grateful for the warmth. Summer had been fine, but only to a degree; they'd generally avoided the bigger, more popular campgrounds with more amenities because there were too many tourists around to always give them the privacy they wanted. And the more Spartan places often had definite drawbacks.

Take this weekend; they were once more staying on a campground in one of the National Parks the western mountain range was so rich in. Private it certainly was, but on the other hand it lacked a lot of basic comforts.

_-Like, electricity and hot running water …-_

The lack of same was why Jason had the chance to observe his lover washing himself at the small creek running through the meadow where they'd pitched their tent. Tommy was stripped to the waist, his lower body clad only in faded sweatpants, and he was kneeling on the creek's bank as he threw water into his face. His position made Jason's mouth go dry as that nice, tight butt he loved to hold and fondle was bobbing up and down before his eyes only a short distance away.

How he would love to sidle up behind Tommy for some serious fooling around! He'd take hold of Tommy's hips and rub himself against the firm muscles, feel himself swell and lengthen until he could barely constrain himself … he would then grasp the waistband of Tommy's pants and pull them down, freeing that tempting backside from its cotton covering, fit himself against it and reach around for where Tommy would be hard and waiting …

A gust of wind dispelled the fantasy and made Jason shiver again. He pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders, sighing wistfully. He might dream all he want, but he was pretty certain that scenario was _not _coming to pass today.

He let his mind wander into an area that was becoming more and more familiar as he continued to watch his lover. In his imagination, the woodsy area where they'd pitched their tent morphed into a lush, tropical glade … and Tommy was no longer hunkering on the bank of a cold mountain creek, splashing water over his head, but standing waist-deep in a clear lagoon complete with waterfall.

Jason smiled to himself as his waking dream took a firmer hold.

_The air is balmy and filled with the scent of tropical flowers. Birds and other small animals chirp and chitter softly over the sound of cascading water as Tommy runs his hands through his long locks._

_"Come join me," he calls to me, and I follow the invitation gladly, striding naked and already aroused to the lagoon. The water's temperature is just right, neither too warm nor too cold as I join my lover. Those wonderful chocolate eyes survey my body heatedly as I approach without shame, my erection leading the way, and through the clear water I can see Tommy's body react to the sight until he is as hard as I._

_"Want me to wash your back?" I ask playfully as we stand only inches apart. I ache to reach for Tommy, hunger to feel his hands and mouth on me. But I force myself to wait; I want Tommy desperately, but will not coerce him into intimacy unless I'm freely given what we both desire. The atmosphere between us hums and crackles with anticipation as Tommy smiles and shakes his head._

_"No. I want you to …" He leans forward and whispers into my ear. _

_It's what I've been waiting for. My breath catches at the bold request, and I can feel my pulse quicken. I smile provocatively, and I know that my eyes have lit up with a bright flame. Then I close the small distance between us and draw Tommy into my arms, plundering his mouth in a long, sensual kiss. _

_"I will. Soon."_

_Tommy's pleased moan reverberates all the way through my body as I thrust my tongue between his willing lips, drawing its counterpart into a wetly exciting dance of passion. I let one hand glide down his back to his tight backside, shifting my feet on the lagoon's sandy bottom until we touch head to foot. With my other hand, I seek and find Tommy's nipples. I tease the sensitive nubs gently at first until they stiffen, then pinch and twist first one, then the other. Tommy groans; as I've known it would the rougher stimulation is driving him wild, and he bucks against me._

_"Take me, Jase," he gasps between kisses._

_"Soon," I repeat, loving the way Tommy clings to me and writhes in my arms. I reluctantly let go of the hardened peaks, but my fingers soon find something even harder to play with further down, below his navel. I stroke and squeeze him gently with one hand, making Tommy sigh with pleasure, and reach around the trim hips to trail my other hand to his buttocks._

_"Mmm, yes," Tommy purrs, beginning his own exploration of my body. I allow him to roam wherever he wants, but concentrate on reaching the hidden opening I know to be there. Once I find it, I place a finger against the tight ring of muscle._

_"I can't wait until I'm inside of you," I murmur, probing gently until Tommy relaxes and my fingertip slips inside. "Just let me prepare you a little bit more; as soon as I have you ready, I won't stop until you beg me to."_

_"Won't happen," Tommy moans, caught between the twin pleasures of my hands manipulating him fore and aft. His eyes close in bliss. "I'll never get enough of you!" _

_That deserves another hard, passionate kiss. "Then prove it," I dare him and slowly release my panting lover. Tommy's lids rise to reveal eyes gone smoky with passion._

_"How?"_

_"Let's get back on land and I'll show you."_

_I give a pleased chuckle as Tommy pouts with disappointment at losing my touch, but he quickly regroups and sloshes towards shore as fast as possible, telling me to follow with an inviting smile and smoldering look over his shoulder._

_"Hurry up!"_

_"I bet you're not gonna say that again in another minute," I tease, but make my own way back to shore just as quickly. _

_As soon as we are both out of the water and reach our bed of moss and blankets, Tommy comes back into my arms, kissing me until we're both breathing heavily. Before I can utter a single word, Tommy sinks to his knees and begins to love me with his mouth until I think I might burst any minute. Because it's too tempting not to, I take Tommy's head between my hands and hold him still, taking my own pleasure of him. _

_I groan blissfully even as I have to smile. Who would have thought that until-recently-straight Tommy would prove so skilled at performing oral sex? _

_Gradually, I quicken my pace. Tommy takes more and more of me until at last I'm buried all the way in his mouth. I only stop to shift my grip on the damp locks to tilt Tommy's face upwards. The brown eyes have drifted shut, but a gentle brush across the lids opens them again … and I shudder as I read the trust, shrouded in a haze of desire, in their depths. _

_I can't wait any longer; I have to have him now!_

_As if by magic, a tube of lubricant appears in my hand, and I kneel down next to Tommy. I pull him into my arms, kiss him long and hard – tasting myself on the pliant lips – then give him a gentle push._

_"On your knees," I order with a possessive smile. _

_Fleetingly, disappointment crosses Tommy's face. "I'd hoped to see you," he murmurs even as he eagerly moves into position. _

_I kiss his spine and apply a generous amount of lube to him and myself. "You will, don't worry," I promise. "Next time, right after this."_

_"Oh," Tommy gasps, excited and pleased by the prospect. "You think you can?"_

_"Definitely. You're too hot to take just once."_

_Tommy laughs and relaxes that final bit. He rests his head on his arms before him, spreads his knees and raises his hips invitingly. "Then do it. Do me, Jase."_

_"With pleasure," I tell him and move into position behind him. Tommy is open and ready, and so am I. Centering myself, I prepare to enter him. The heat radiating from there beckons to draw me in, where I want to be, and unable to wait one more second I brace myself. I inhale deeply once, start to press forward and –_

"Achoo!"

**---**

The sneeze shattered his daydream into a million tiny pieces, and Jason groaned – both out of frustration, and because he couldn't _stop _sneezing. Blindly, he groped for his bag and the pack of tissues he'd stowed somewhere.

"Dammit," he groused, blowing his nose after he'd finally unearthed the tissues. Judging by the sudden chills running down his spine it seemed likely that he wasn't just reacting to a momentary irritation of his nasal passages, but was developing a full-blown cold. "I was afraid this was gonna happen!"

The sound drew Tommy from his ablutions back to the tent. "You okay, Bro?" he asked as he toweled himself dry. Jason peered up at his friend with suddenly watery eyes.

"Dunno," he sighed. "I think I may have caught something." Another sneeze.

"Aw, man," Tommy commiserated. "Weren't you feeling fine just yesterday?"

"Sure, but it _is _damn cold out here; couldn't really get warm all night …"

"_All _night?" Tommy interrupted him with a small grin and raised eyebrow, and despite his rapidly-growing discomfort Jason had to chuckle.

"Smartass. Okay, so I wasn't cold when we were making love, but before and after? Maybe it wasn't such a hot idea after all to spread the sleeping bag."

"If we hadn't, we couldn't have held each other," Tommy pointed out. Rather than bundle up separately, they'd chosen to lie on one sleeping bag and use the other as a blanket.

"Sure – but if we hadn't, maybe I wouldn't be coming down with a cold now," Jason grumbled, fumbling for a fresh tissue. "Not that I didn't like sleeping with you like we did, but if I hadn't wanted to be close to you so much, I'd've been tempted to stick my feet right into the fire, they felt that icy!" He sneezed again.

"I noticed," Tommy said with a wry smile, then sobered. "I guess this means we better head home right away."

"Uh huh. Sorry," Jason sniffled, rubbing his burning eyes and beginning-to-ache forehead.

Tommy sighed. It wasn't Jason's fault that he'd caught cold, but they got to spend precious little time together as it was, and to have to cut the day short, even for a few hours …

_-Stop feeling sorry for yourself,- _he admonished himself. _-Be thankful you didn't get sick as well – and if you don't want Jase's cold to turn into flu or pneumonia, haul ass and get him someplace warmer.-_

"Not your fault," was all he said, though. "We can always spend the rest of the day hanging out at your place before I need to go home."

"I'd like that," Jason replied, brightening a little. He, too, had dreaded giving up part of their weekend. But as he was rapidly beginning to feel really miserable, he realized getting out of the woods and back to civilization – and some cold remedy – was the best option.

"Okay then," Tommy said. "So, why don't you clean up, we have breakfast and then go back?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jason agreed and scrambled slowly to his feet. He made quick work of washing himself, got dressed and returned to the fire just in time to receive a hot mug of instant coffee from his lover. "Thanks." Gratefully, he took a sip of the scalding liquid, feeling the warmth slowly creep into his limbs. Instant wasn't his favorite, but out here in the wilderness the only alternative was tea – and he needed his early-morning caffeine fix. He sat back against a moss-covered boulder and watched as Tommy quickly fixed a couple of sandwiches for both. They talked idly as they ate their simple breakfast, and as food and coffee took effect on his system, Jason began to feel a little better.

"Hey, we still have some fruit," he remembered as Tommy started packing up their leftovers. "Hand me that yellow plastic container, will you?"

"Sure." Tommy reached for the square box with one hand and nearly dropped it into the fire. "Man, that's heavy – what have you got in there, rocks?"

"Nah, just some melon," Jason replied absently as he pried open the lid, unfolded his Swiss Army knife and began to cut the watermelon half into slices. "Lots of vitamins, just what I need. Easy to swallow, too. Here, have some." He held out a few pieces to his best friend. The red pulp glistened moistly in the morning sun, and the sweet smell of fresh melon filled the air. Tommy accepted them gingerly and began to eat, mindful not to drip juice onto his shirt and spitting seeds to the side. Jason followed suit, then grinned suddenly. "Hey, I never realized – if Rangers had signature fruit, watermelon should have been yours!"

"Huh?"

"Just look at it – it has all your colors," Jason chuckled, holding up the last slice to demonstrate. "Green and white rind, red pulp and black seeds."

Tommy groaned and gave him a mock-disgusted look. "Yeah, right. By that same logic, what would _your _signature fruit be, huh? A half-rotten banana?"

"Only when I was the Gold Ranger," Jason deadpanned. "No red in there."

"An apple, then. That's red and gold, sorta, and has black seeds."

"But white meat. And I never wore white," Jason replied smugly.

"Hmph." Then, a twinkle entered Tommy's eyes. "How about a blood orange, or pink grapefruit? They're red and gold-ish, plus both juicy and tart … would fit you to a T." He laughed at the outraged glare Jason directed at him. "Never mind. I don't think either of us needs to have a 'signature fruit', anyway; it's enough that we had to deal with the color compulsion while we still were Rangers."

Jason laughed as well, swallowing his last bite. "Yeah. What a pain _that _was! Mom went crazy when I wouldn't wear anything but red for over a year, and when I came home from Geneva, nicely normal again, I suddenly _had _to have everything in black!"

"Heh. Just be grateful it wasblack and not _gold_; I would've liked to have seen Bulk and Skull's faces if you'd showed up at school wearing lamé, or sequins!" Both snickered. "Besides, you should've heard _my_ mother," Tommy continued dryly. "Starting with green, changing to all white within a day, then finally switching to red … thank God she didn't catch me going all black later!"

Jason winked at his friend. "Maybe you should start calling yourself the Technicolor Ranger."

"Bite your tongue!"

"Why don't _you_?" Jason leered, then ruined the effect by sneezing. Again.

Tommy shook his head, torn between amusement and exasperation as he got to his feet and began gathering their dishes. "Why don't you shut up and start packing?"

"Spoilsport." Jason pretended to sulk, but followed the suggestion anyway. Bantering with Tommy like this was fun, but he _was _feeling worse, and going home sounded more attractive by the minute. He was putting the biodegradable debris into a separate bag to compost at home when he noticed Tommy staring at the melon rinds, a strange expression on his face. "What?"

"You know … I don't really like watermelon all that much," Tommy murmured.

"Sorry, I didn't know, but why did you eat it, then?" Jason wondered. "You didn't have to; it would've kept on the ride home."

"Oh, I like the taste just fine; I just don't like looking at 'em."

"How come?"

Tommy grimaced. "Remember my last fight as the Green Ranger? Just before my Powers gave out for the last time?"

Jason thought for a minute. "Sure; wasn't that when you went into the Otherworld and shattered the crystal Zedd had been draining your Powers into?"

"After that. The monster's name was Turbanshell, I think … anyway, Billy had built this special weapon, remember, and we somehow had to get one of us close to use it on him? And I …"

"… hid in a truck full of humongous watermelons. Of course!" Jason snapped his fingers as the memory resurfaced. "What's bothering you about that? They _were_ bright green; perfect camouflage for your uniform!"

To his surprise, Tommy blushed. "Well … it was kind of embarrassing," he mumbled. "I mean, how heroic is it to hide in a pile of fruit?"

With an effort, Jason stifled the bubble of laughter rising in his throat. "Hey, I thought you were plenty heroic," he soothed his lover. "At least you didn't get swallowed by a butt-ugly toad once, like me, Billy, Zack and Trini. And it worked, so I'd say no matter how embarrassing it may have seemed, it _was_ the perfect hiding place. Just think if we'd had to hide Kim, or Trini!"

Tommy had to grin as their earlier banter came back to him. "Don't get started on those idiotic 'signature fruit' again," he warned. "Or I'll tell the girls!"

"Anything but that!" Jason pretended to shudder in horror, then was thrown into another sneezing fit – this time accompanied by a few coughs. It was bad enough to worry Tommy and propel him into action.

"That's it – go and sit over there in the sun while I finish," he ordered, grabbing the trash bag out of Jason's hands.

"I can help," Jason protested, but was glared into silence.

"Sure you can – if you want to get _really _sick when you overexert yourself," Tommy scolded him. "I've taken down a tent by myself before, and it won't take me that much longer, either. When I'm done, you can help load up the car, but until then – sit!"

With a mutinous glance, but secretly relieved and grateful, Jason sat.

**---**

The drive down the mountain back to Angel Grove was done mostly in silence; Tommy was concentrating on the road and didn't want to strain his best friend's voice with unnecessary talk. The hoarseness he heard was definitely _not _sexy.

_-More than time enough for that when we're at Jason's home and I can fix him a hot toddy or something, with lots of honey in it.- _

Tommy smothered a small groan as his imagination provided a scenario of Jason lying naked in bed, honey dribbled on strategic places all over his body, and himself, equally nude, enthusiastically licking it off.

_-Better not go there. Jase is likely too sick to be thinking of sex anyway, and besides, I don't want to make love at his or my place. Or do I?-_

Tommy had to admit, his reservations about that were beginning to sound rather stupid. They'd been lovers for months now, frequent separations notwithstanding, and any intimacy issues he used to have were becoming rather moot by now. There simply was no logic in going to hotels, a tent or even the outdoors to make love, but refusing to do the same in the comfort and safety of their own homes. What was more, winter was right around the corner … and he too was getting fed up with the inconveniences of wilderness camping.

_-What I wouldn't have given for a nice, hot shower this morning! Preferably together with Jase,- _he mused._ -And sleeping with Jase in a real bed, on a comfortable mattress like we did that first time at my uncle's cabin, would be way better than the ground.- _He slanted a glance to his side, where Jason sat quietly, his head leaning against the window. He looked slightly paler than usual and his cheekbones were flushed, but thankfully there hadn't been a repetition of the sneezing and coughing fit he'd suffered earlier. _-We can't go on camping this year, or one of us could get seriously ill with something worse than a cold – and I don't want that. Bad enough Jason isn't feeling well; I think he'd prefer being warm and comfy too. In fact, if I hadn't had that weird hang-up about not spending nights at his or my home, we could be making love again today. Shit.-_

The forest grew thinner as they left the mountains, and Tommy sped up as he entered the highway. With any luck, they'd be in Angel Grove by lunchtime, they could get some chicken soup from the deli two blocks from Jason's apartment and spend another couple of hours in each other's company before Tommy had to return to Reefside. He cursed himself mentally for the waste of time caused by his insistence on going camping yet again.

_-Summer's over, so camping's out, period. And we can't afford to go to a hotel each weekend either. I don't want to give up what little time we manage to be together, being lovers … and I sure don't want to give that up until spring. I'd miss it – miss Jase – way too much.- _Which really left them with only one choice, and Tommy accepted it with very little hesitation or regret.

_-I can change my mind, can't I? Even if Jase laughs at me and says 'I told you so' …-_

Suddenly impatient to tell Jason of his resolve to no longer avoid intimacy in their homes, Tommy had to force himself not to speed as he drove towards Angel Grove and Jason's apartment.

**---**

Jason was content to spend the drive home mostly silent; for one thing, he was beginning to feel the lethargy and general 'just-let-me-die-in-peace' sensation that usually was one of the first symptoms of a cold, and for another … he couldn't get his early-morning fantasy out of his mind.

Or had it been a dream? He couldn't really say.

Sure, he'd been awake, so he'd have to properly call it a fantasy, but his imagination had definitely provided dream-like elements. Tommy's hair, for example – it'd been ages since he'd shorn off his shoulder-length locks, and while it had come as quite a surprise at the time, Jason couldn't blame him for cutting it. Long hair _was _impractical for the scientist Tommy had become, and adulthood had likely motivated him to say a more visible farewell to the habits of his teenage years.

_-Now that I've gotten used to it, he looks pretty damn hot with the spiky 'do and his bit of a beard. Guess it's because I fell in love with him when his hair was long – and it would be nice to have a little more to hold on to, to run my fingers through when he's taking me in his mouth.-_

Which led directly to the more significant part of his little mental scenario.

_-The sex part. Whoa.-_

Jason suppressed a shiver as he recalled the mixture of sheer lust and sensuality of his daydream. Yes, he was uninhibited, but had never been as … well, 'forceful' was one way to put it … as his fantasy-self. Not with _any_ of his partners. Especially not with Tommy, who was still adjusting to his bisexuality.

_-Okay; in reality, I can see myself walking around naked, even with a hard-on, and trying to seduce Tommy. And he is learning to express his own wishes, if not quite as explicitly as in my daydream. But to just tell him what I'm gonna do to him – and expect him not only to say yes right away, but to actively want it? Not bloody likely. Not until we've been lovers for years and both learned to enjoy penetration. We don't even know yet if we will.-_

The idea was exciting, though. A definite turn-on even. So far, they hadn't progressed beyond oral sex in their lovemaking, but the couple of times Tommy's hands had cautiously ventured towards that area of Jason's anatomy while pleasuring him had been incredibly arousing, and Jason was not at all reluctant to experiment further.

_-He seemed to enjoy it, too, when I fingered him last month.- _He thought it boded well for his hopes to eventually try anal intercourse.Besides, he loved and trusted Tommy. _-Enough to want to do it with him, on top or bottom. That's something I could never give to any of my previous partners; shit, I've never even had anal sex with a girl. It just … just didn't seem right, somehow. But with Tommy? Hell, yeah.-_

And in a peculiar way, Jason was glad that he still had something unique to give to his best friend and lover, something each person could only give once in a lifetime – his virginity with a man.

_-Crap, that sounds so … I dunno. Sappy? Saccharine? Something like that. It's true, though,- _he mused. _-Sure, I never minded trying out something new with any of my former partners, but anal intercourse? No. I've had sex with guys who wanted that from me, and yeah, I've been tempted a time or two, but in the end there was always something holding me back. And I never regretted saying no, either.- _

Oral sex was another matter. Jason had been both on the giving and receiving end with both male _and_ female partners, and while his experience with men wasn't terribly extensive, he still knew more than Tommy in that area. Not that he was complaining – introducing him to the pleasures of gay sex was fun, and Tommy had proved a fast and talented learner. And after he'd shed his initial inhibitions he was just as eager as Jason to try or invent new things to do with his lips and tongue. In fact, at times Jason had wondered _where _his lover got some of his ideas.

_-Probably from that 'research' of his,- _Jason thought wryly. _-One of these days I'll have to ask him if he still has those blue movies and stuff.-_

He stifled a moan. Normally, he didn't get an awful lot out of pornography, but for some reason the idea of reading or watching it together with Tommy – and then maybe act out some of the things they'd seen or read – sent darts of sheer lust directly into his groin.

_-Stop it. I don't even know if Tommy would like that – both the reading and watching, or the doing – and I'm not gonna badger him into stuff he doesn't want to do.- _

Of course not. But Jason couldn't deny that he longed to get even more intimate with Tommy – and that included a whole range of activities aside from getting turned on by smut.

_-I'd like to spend more time with Tommy, in and out of bed; I'd love to spend whole days and nights with him at his or my home; and when we're both ready, I want him to be the first to take me up the ass and do the same to him.-_

He felt a tightening in his groin. Unobtrusively, Jason shifted in his seat to ease the growing pressure, wishing he dared adjust himself inside his pants. But that would only alert Tommy to the fact that the words 'feverish mind', when applied to Jason just now, had very little to do with his cold and everything with his suddenly-rampant sex drive.

_-Germs. Think germs,- _he admonished himself. _-All those nasty little buggers crawling in your sinuses that you'd be giving Tommy if we made love now.- _

It didn't help much – and all the rest of the way to his place in Angel Grove Jason was forced to suffer not only from his incipient cold, but also from the discomfort of frustrated desire.

**---**

By the time they reached Jason's street shortly after lunch, Jason was heartily glad to get out of the car. He dragged himself up the stairs to his attic apartment and all but collapsed on the old futon serving as his couch.

"Man, I'm beat," he groaned, watching through bleary eyes as Tommy entered behind him and made quick work of stowing the camping gear in a convenient closet and deposited Jason's backpack in the bedroom. "I can do that later," he protested feebly, coughing, but Tommy waved him off.

"Sure you can, but as long as I'm here anyway, why should you?"

"I just feel stupid, letting you do all of the work," Jason grumbled. Tommy laughed.

"Wish some of my students had more of that attitude! Well, you can unpack your stuff by yourself – no _way_ am I handling your smelly socks! – and go take a shower while I go to the market," he said.

"Why'd you wanna go there?"

"Pharmacy," Tommy replied. "Knowing you, you don't have any meds but liniment and maybe an aspirin; that won't help you deal with your cold."

"Ibuprofen, and you know I hate taking chemicals," Jason muttered.

"Whatever. And I'm not planning on getting you 'chemicals', as you call them. Just some natural stuff that'll make you feel better. I'll also pick up some chicken soup for you on the way. Trust me?"

There was no way Jason could refuse that offer. And he _was_ seriously hankering for a hot shower and clean, warm clothes. He still glared half-heartedly at his friend from his slouch on the futon. "I do. But you're not my mother, you know."

Tommy just smiled. "Right. I bet your mom would never do _this_." He bent over the back of the couch, took hold of Jason's head and kissed him thoroughly. "Now be a good boy and do as you're told," he grinned and beat a strategic retreat before Jason regained his breath. "Go shower, I'll take your keys!" And the door closed behind him with a muted 'bang'.

"Oh great," Jason groaned, but couldn't help a smile. While he hated the mothering, and the reason for it, he also felt pleased and grateful that Tommy _was_ so caring and solicitous. _-I more or less did the same for him last year when he was depressed. Fed him, cheered him up … healed him in a way. We're more than just friends, or even brothers; it's what we do.- _Slightly cheered by the thought, Jason heaved himself to his feet with a sigh and trudged into the bathroom. He made quick work of unpacking and putting his dirty laundry into the hamper, then stripped and stepped into the shower. The jets of hot water not only cleaned him, but also managed to warm him at last, and by the time he was done and dressed in clean sweats and thick woolen socks Jason was beginning to feel halfway human again.

_-Except for the damn sniffles. Shit.- _Sneezing violently, Jason went to his small kitchenette to search for more tissues.

The sneezing fit had given way to coughing once more when Tommy returned with a bag full of things, and he unceremoniously bundled his lover back into the living room and onto the futon. He quickly retrieved a blanket from the bedroom, threw it over Jason, then pulled two items from his shopping bag. "Here. Mentholated cream to rub on your chest – it'll help you breathe – and a 1 saline nasal drip to reduce the swelling of your sinuses. Let it work for a few minutes, and I'll give you something for that cough." Before Jason could protest, Tommy disappeared into the kitchen.

Jason grinned bemusedly and followed his orders, listening to Tommy rummage around in the other room as he applied the cool cream to his chest. The sharp scent of menthol and eucalyptus was slightly overpowering as it warmed on his skin, but gradually Jason felt his nose clear just a little. It was a relief to breathe more easily again, and he made a mental note to thank Tommy later. _-If he ever gets done with whatever he's doing, that is!- _

"What the hell are you doing in there?" he called after a few minutes. "Mixing Love Potion Number Nine?"

"Not quite," Tommy replied in a normal voice, startling Jason who hadn't noticed him coming back into the living room. He held out a large mug. "Here, Sam's special cold remedy." Knowing that whatever Tommy had cooked up came from his shaman great-uncle was reassuring, but Jason was still skeptical as accepted the container. He yelped as he nearly scalded his fingertips.

"Hey, that's hot!"

"It works better that way. Drink up."

Suspiciously, Jason peered into the cup. It was brim-full with a murky yellowish liquid, and smelled definitely medicinal. "What's in it? It looks vile!"

"Lemon juice and hot water, honey, and just a spoonful of an antitussive cough syrup," Tommy explained, sitting down next to his friend. "In other words, vitamin C, minerals and carbs for energy, plus something to stop you from hacking your lungs out." He too was holding a steaming mug and took a careful sip.

"My cough's not _that _bad," Jason muttered. "What're _you _having?"

"Same stuff I made for you, minus the cough syrup. Look, I know you said you don't like meds, but you'll have to be at school tomorrow again, same as me, and all the natural remedies I can get hold of won't be quite as effective – or at least not as fast-acting. The only real chemical is the DXM, and when you're feeling better, you can replace it with this." He tossed a bar of chocolate at Jason.

"70 cocoa, and Swiss? Are you mad? That must've cost a fortune, and besides, I don't even _like _dark chocolate," Jason complained.

Tommy grinned smugly. "I'm a scientist, remember? Chemistry isn't exactly my forte, but I had to take enough to know that cocoa contains theobromine – a cough suppressant even more effective than codeine, which is prescription-only. Dark chocolate has up to ten times as much than milk chocolate, so … Anyway, half that bar should be enough per day."

"Hmph."

"Would you prefer I make you an onion and rock sugar decoction?" Tommy asked innocently. "It's another of Sam's recipes."

"Onions and sugar? Euw," Jason shuddered. "That sounds even worse than this stuff smells. Which, in a word, is disgusting."

"Helps, though."

"Thanks, but no thanks. And no, I _don't _want to know all the science behind the medicine man stuff."

"Then drink your hot lemon. Please?"

The brown eyes looked at him with so much concern and affection that Jason didn't have the heart to refuse. Sighing, he lifted his mug. "Are you _sure _this'll help?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, all right already." Grudgingly, Jason took a cautious sip and found to his surprise that the taste wasn't as bad as he'd feared. Soon, he was done and set the empty mug on the coffee table with a sigh of relief. "Finished, Mommy," he announced cheekily in a little-boy voice that made Tommy laugh.

"So'm I," Tommy said and reluctantly got to his feet. "Hate to say it, but I still have a couple of papers on my desk that need to be dealt with by tomorrow."

A quick glance at his watch showed Jason what that meant. "And if you don't leave soon, you won't be able to, is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah," his friend sighed. "I wish I could stay here with you longer, but …"

"… it's a long drive to Reefside, I know," Jason finished unhappily. "Damn. If I hadn't gotten sick, we could still be together."

"Not _that _much longer, you didn't catch cold intentionally and besides, there's always next time. Two weeks from now as usual, right?"

"Sure. But …" Jason hesitated, but decided that there was no sense in lying about how he felt. They'd agreed right at the start of their relationship to be as honest with each other as possible, to _tell _when either of them felt uncomfortable about something – and why shouldn't that also include physical discomfort? "Tommy, I hate bringing it up, but … would you mind much if we didn't go camping anymore? At least not until spring? I was _really _freezing last night, and it's only going to grow colder …"

"No problem," Tommy agreed at once. "Actually, I've thought the same thing – and not just when you started sneezing." He smiled. "Camping's definitely out in the near future."

Relieved, Jason smiled back. "Thanks." Which of course raised the question where they would go instead. With only a little over two months to go until Christmas, Jason knew it would be tight financially, but offered anyway – seeing as it was his fault they had to cut this weekend short. "Um, how about I spring for the hotel then?"

Tommy caught his breath and for a moment was tempted to accept the offer. Then he shook himself inwardly. No, he'd made a different decision earlier, and he was going to stick by it. It was one thing he could do not only for Jason, but for himself as well.

"How about you come to Reefside instead?" he asked quietly.

He saw the midnight-dark eyes widen as Jason realized what he was implying. "And stay where?"

"My house."

Slowly, Jason got up and walked over to his lover. He placed both hands on Tommy's shoulders and looked at him very intently. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," Tommy murmured, and felt the chill of their impending separation being dispelled by the warmth of Jason's smile. A large hand gently cupped his cheek.

"I'd kiss you for that if I weren't such a virus mothership right now," Jason whispered huskily. "Thanks, Tom; I know this decision can't have been easy for you."

"Easier than I thought it'd be," Tommy admitted and placed a kiss into Jason's palm. "Whatever reasons against spending nights with you here or at my home I once had simply aren't there anymore, your health is too important to risk, and anyway … it's time to move forward. I'm ready."

"So am I."

"Good." Before Jason could protest, Tommy drew him into his arms and kissed him. It wasn't just a quick peck, either; no, Tommy took his sweet time. His tongue slid easily between Jason's lips, seeking out its counterpart to tangle with and coaxed a response that was willingly given until Jason moaned throatily into Tommy's mouth. The sound reverberated all the way into Tommy's groin, and he knew he'd better stop before they were both left frustrated and aching with need they didn't have time to deal with.

"Hold that thought, Bro," Tommy breathed before he reluctantly released his lover and stepped back. "Until next time."

"You bet," Jason nodded with a rueful smile. "Go, before I decide to jump you on the spot."

"Right. Call you later tonight?"

"Please."

"Don't forget to eat your soup."

"Yes, mother," Jason rolled his eyes and sighed good-naturedly. "I promise. Now, if you don't mind exposing yourself to my germs one last time, kiss me good-bye?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Another long, gentle kiss, and Tommy left, leaving Jason standing at his window to watch the jeep's taillights disappear into the fast-approaching dusk. "Drive safely, Bro," he murmured and went to lie on the couch. That last kiss good-bye had stirred more than his heart, but Jason resisted the temptation to take matters into his own hands, so to speak.

_-Not tonight. I can wait if I have to.-_

Maybe not the full two weeks until he was going to see Tommy again, but tonight he could bask in the knowledge that their willingness to be intimate with each other was still growing. Tommy was finally ready for them to sleep and make love in their very own beds, to get a step closer in sharing their lives. And his daydream had shown Jason that he was ready to progress to anal sex in their lovemaking – another step towards sharing their bodies fully at last. A small chill skittered down his spine that had nothing to do with his cold and everything with his love and desire for Tommy.

_-It'll be my dream come true when he is as ready for that as I am …-_

Hopefully, it wouldn't take long … and as Jason stared out into the darkening sky, his ever-fertile imagination started weaving yet another fantasy.

_To Be Continued …_


	8. Getting It Right 1

_**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no money, just fun ..._

_**Note: **In response to the Live Journal PRSW 22 challenge, themes #5: atmosphere and #11: laughter_

_**Note II: **-sigh- Sorry, this is turning into one monster chapter, so I'm cutting it in half (or so). The next part is halfway done and should be ready within the week. Sorry for that! Also, I had to do some heavy editing to keep this to its M rating; if you want to read the unexpurgated version (and are legally old enough to do so!), please look up the link to other archives in my profile. - A huge 'thank you' goes to Cmar, for her help/suggestions on the first part of this. You're the best, lady! – Enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on you way out? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 8: Getting It Right (1)**

"I thought you didn't want to do this."

"I do. I thought _you_ didn't."

They stared at each other across Jason's dining table, the remains of their meal forgotten between them. Chocolate-brown eyes and midnight depths held each other, equal amounts of confusion, chagrin and reluctant amusement mirrored in both sets.

"Then why didn't you ever try, or ask?" Tommy asked at last.

Jason shrugged. "Well … I didn't want to pressure you into anything you weren't ready for."

"Pressure has nothing to do with it," Tommy muttered. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be. It's just …"

Jason's mouth quirked into a grin as he nodded in perfect agreement. "It's just getting up the nerve to actually _doing_ it, right?"

"Exactly," Tommy sighed, relieved that Jason understood without being told. "That, and …"

"… and I might've said no?"

"Uh huh."

"Same here. I don't think I could've dealt with that," Jason said softly, reaching for his best friend and lover's hand across the table. "Not that I would've thought you'd be rejecting me if you had refused, but … why ruin something great just because I want more? I figured we'd either get around to it kinda naturally, or you'd suggest it … and if you didn't, I could wait for the perfect moment to ask myself. Only, that perfect moment somehow never came."

"Or we missed it," Tommy agreed, entwining his fingers with Jason's. "I know there've been a few moments when I thought afterwards, 'hey, that might've been a good opportunity to bring it up', but by then it usually had passed, and …" He shrugged again, looking at Jason rather sheepishly. "20/20 hindsight."

"Yeah."

Jason smiled, lifted their joint hands to his mouth to kiss, then chuckled ruefully. "Man. To hear us talk, you'd think we're two blushing virgins instead of having been lovers for over a year!"

"Pathetic," Tommy nodded, laughing lightly as well. "Seriously, though, how _do _you ask someone if they'd be okay with having anal sex? Shit, I wouldn't even know how to ask that of a woman, much less a guy!"

"Me, neither. As I told you in the beginning, you're the only person I ever even considered doing it with; I was never seriously tempted to do it before, and the one time someone, uh, asked me, I just told him no." It hadn't been quite as easy and simple as Jason made it sound, but it was a memory best forgotten.

Jason's casual reference to one of his former, thankfully faceless partners bothered Tommy slightly, but he hid his dismay; he'd known from the start that he wasn't the only man Jason had been intimate with. He also knew that any jealousy would be misplaced. They were committed to each other, and Jason would never betray his trust, not even in thought. On the flip side, Tommy wasn't going to edit any remarks about his relationship with Kat, either – and Jason didn't expect him to. _-What's good for one …- _ Still, he felt an unpleasant pang. To cover his reaction, he sought refuge in an attempt at humor.

"Yeah, well, a guy can't exactly bring this up with dessert, right? I mean … it's not as if I could just throw you over my shoulder, carry you to bed and ravish you like some heroi-, uh, character from a cheap romance novel," he grumbled.

"Sounds tempting. Why don't you?" Jason intended to sound facetious, but the tiny flame lighting up his eyes and the sharp intake of breath he couldn't quite suppress gave away that he didn't find the prospect of being carried off to be ravished at all distasteful. Much to his disappointment, though, Tommy firmly shook his head even as he shot a friendly leer at him.

"No way. Tempting as the idea is … if you were built like, say, Kimberly – that is, half a foot shorter and about a hundred pounds lighter, I _might_ consider it, but as you are? Dream on. I want to go all the way with you, not develop a hernia."

"You're no fun," Jason complained, but his lips started to twitch with laughter.

Tommy tried unsuccessfully to hide his own grin. "Yeah well, tough shit."

"Hmph." Glaring half-seriously at Tommy, Jason let go of his hand with a parting squeeze, pushed back his chair and started collecting the cartons from their Chinese takeout. "At least help me clear the table, then – or will that give you a hernia, too?"

"I think I can just about manage that much," Tommy replied dryly and began stacking their dishes. Together, they took care of cleanup, then wandered back into the living room. Tommy reached for the half-bottle of plum wine that had come with their dinner and looked at Jason to ask whether he should pour them each a glass, when the speculative expression on his face made him stop mid-motion. "What?"

A muscle worked in Jason's jaw as he regarded Tommy with an undecipherable look. Visibly coming to a decision, he drew a deep breath. "How about we do it now?"

Drink forgotten, Tommy straightened slowly, feeling as if the floor had suddenly dropped out from under him. "Y-you mean … _right _now? Tonight?"

"Yeah." Jason stepped towards his lover and touched his cheek, letting his fingers trail down his neck and to the collar of his shirt. He gently circled the pulse point at the base of Tommy's throat. "Why shouldn't we? We both want it, and the night is still young …" he murmured, trying not to sound _too _eager – and inadvertently pressuring Tommy after all.

Tommy gulped. Sure, he wanted to take that last step, wanted to have actual intercourse with Jason, but … just like that? Just 'let's do it' and jump into bed? Somehow, that didn't seem right. On the other hand … he couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect, his body was tightening in anticipation and as he couldn't find an effective argument against it, he nodded at last. "Well … okay, I guess."

Either Jason didn't hear the hesitancy in his voice, or he chose to ignore it. Instead, he yanked Tommy into his arm for a lusty kiss, then grabbed his hand and started tugging him towards the bedroom. "Come, then," he murmured huskily.

**---**

**_If At First You Don't Succeed …_**

They undressed without speaking, haphazardly folding their clothes and putting them on the wicker chair occupying one corner of Jason's bedroom, then lay down together on the cool sheets, facing each other. Jason propped his head in one hand and trailed the other down Tommy's body from shoulder to thigh, outlining muscles and sinews until he came to rest at his right nipple. He started to flick a finger against the stiffening brown nub. "I can hardly wait," he said quietly. "I've dreamed of doing this for so long …"

"Me, too," Tommy admitted in a low voice, wishing in one secret corner of his mind he'd get more excited by that teasing touch. Usually, when Jason skimmed across all his hot spots the way he was doing now, he'd be all fired up in no time, eager to feel fingers replaced by lips and tongue. Now, though, arousal remained strangely elusive, hovering just out of reach. To cover his hopefully momentary lack of involvement, he reached up and drew the dark head towards him. He kissed the warm mouth lingeringly, letting his tongue trace Jason's lips, then slip inside. The familiar wet heat and taste succeeded where the strong hands didn't, and Tommy found himself slowly growing erect.

When their kiss ended, both men were breathing shallowly, and Jason smiled into Tommy's eyes. "Mmm, nice."

"Thanks," Tommy smiled back and tousled Jason's hair, making him chuckle. But their laughter soon died as their eyes locked. "So, um, how do we do this?"

"Whichever way you prefer." Jason's right hand was gliding up and down Tommy's flank, then finally skimming around to his buttocks. It made him shiver. And nervous.

Tommy laid one palm flat on his friend's neck, then let it drift southwards, across the broad chest and towards the trim hips, leaving goosebumps in its wake. He found that vaguely gratifying. "What do _you _prefer?"

"How should I know? I've never done this before either, remember?"

"Well, what do you _want_?"

"You," Jason murmured. "Just you. Any way I can have you." He leaned in for another kiss that was willingly returned.

"That's not very helpful."

"I know. Sorry." Deciding that one of them would have to ask after all, and since Tommy at least _said _he wouldn't mind, Jason decided it might as well be him. "You want to be on top first?" he whispered. "Or should I?"

"I … I dunno," Tommy confessed. Deep down, he would've liked to linger over foreplay, not just to stave off that big step they were about to take just a little longer, but because he genuinely _liked _taking his time before getting down to more serious loving. However, through their kiss he'd sensed Jason's eagerness, a feeling he shared and so couldn't really ignore … and it increased his case of jitters tenfold. _-This is worse than our very first time!- _"I mean, I want you, but … I want you to have me, too." He frowned. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"Yes, you do," Jason told him, then smiled rather sheepishly. "It's the same for me."

Impasse. They stared at each other, neither quite daring to decide on one way or the other.

Jason briefly toyed with the idea of making love as usual first, just to take the edge off things and relax, but what if either of them was _too _relaxed afterwards and fell asleep? _-Nah. I want to be aware of every little detail, of every touch and sensation when we finally do it, and I bet Tommy wants that, too. It's too great a risk.- _He wanted to have it all – Tommy's hands and mouth exciting him in all the ways they'd learned to enjoy over the past year, he wanted to feel Tommy's cock slide into his ass at last, but he also longed to bury himself within his best friend's body as deeply as he could.

_-It'd be so much easier if I could just tell him to lie back and let me do my thing, but that'd be unfair to Tommy. This is about us exploring together, not just about me getting my rocks off!-_

But what if Tommy was uncomfortable with being on the receiving end, despite his words to the contrary? _That _wouldn't do at all. Jason knew that _he_ was a little nervous about submitting to Tommy. Slightly less so about being the one in control, but still … it was quite a natural reaction, really, but not particularly helpful.

It didn't matter much to Jason who got to be the first to be on top, as long as they actually got around to doing it at last. There'd be plenty of time to experiment, to discover their preferences later. Plus, they were equals in every way, so most likely they'd want to take turns anyway. Then another thought came to him. Until now, _he_ had been the one who introduced new practices into their lovemaking, teaching Tommy what to do from his store of admittedly limited, but still greater experience of what felt good and what didn't between two guys. With anal sex, though, they both needed to learn how to please and pleasure each other. _-Equals at last.- _So it would be only fair to let Tommy be the one leading the way for once. Wouldn't it? The longer he thought about it, the better he liked the idea.

"Okay, you go first," he murmured, coming to a decision. "Since we're both new at this …"

Tommy swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very inexperienced and decidedly _not_ ready, but … _-We agreed on this. We both want it.- _He wasn't going to chicken out at the last minute. "Okay. If you're sure."

"I am." Grateful for his acceptance, Jason smiled reassuringly at his friend. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. As long as we're both careful and tell if something's making us uncomfortable. Right?"

"Yeah." Closing his eyes for a second, Tommy inhaled a shuddering breath and tried to fight down the kamikaze butterflies in his stomach. "Um … do we have everything we need?"

During their earlier conversation, both had admitted to doing some research on how to go about the matter since they'd wanted to be prepared and avoid hurting each other. They'd also confessed to having laid in some necessary paraphernalia, just in case.

"I think so."

Quickly Jason mentally reviewed what he'd stocked for this moment. Yes, he had the essentials. He turned and retrieved a tube of lubricant from his nightstand drawer, unscrewed the cap and laid it out in readiness. He hesitated over a box of foil packets. "What about condoms?"

Tommy thought briefly, then shook his head. "No. We've both never done this before, we're both healthy, so we should be safe." He grimaced. "To be honest, I never liked using the things anyway."

"Because they take away too much of the sensations?"

"That, and … well, if you must know, I've never found putting 'em on particularly sexy. Either they tear, or slip off or whatever, and they're hell to get rid off afterwards. Talk about killing the atmosphere!"

Jason grinned, remembering a few early mishaps of his own. "True. But there _are _ways that can be pretty damn hot – if you do it right. Guess it just takes a lot of practice. Which I don't have either," he added ruefully. _-Never needed one with a guy, and it's been ages since I've been with a girl who wasn't otherwise protected!- _

"Whatever. I don't want to practice _now_, though, and besides – I trust you."

That deserved a kiss. "I agree. Ditto. Thanks." Shoving the box aside, he closed the drawer and grabbed a pillow from underneath his head. Folding it in half, Jason covered it with a towel he'd also stashed in his nightstand and shoved it under his hips, elevating them to a slight angle as he lay back.

Tommy frowned. "Isn't it supposed to be easier if you were lying face-down?"

"Yeah, but … I'd really like to see you," Jason replied, a little diffidently. "If that's okay with you?"

Tommy nodded. Truthfully, the idea of being watched during this first attempt at intercourse with Jason made him somewhat uncomfortable, but he figured that being face-to-face would give him the opportunity to observe Jason's expression in addition to his other reactions; that might be helpful in case something didn't feel good. And as they were both fit and athletic, doing it missionary-style shouldn't present _too_ much of a problem.

"Good. I'm all set then." Wiggling into a more comfortable position, Jason spread his legs. "Go ahead," he murmured, giving Tommy an encouraging smile. "I'm all yours."

The words calmed Tommy as they reminded him vividly of the night when Jason had first confessed his feelings for him. Hearing them again now, with his lover lying next to him naked, ready and offering himself – how could he _not _do as Jason wished?

"Yeah." They kissed once more for mutual reassurance, then Tommy reached for the lubricant, wishing his hand would stop trembling. He coated the fingers of one hand with the slick substance, caressed Jason briefly, then started probing for the hidden opening. He had almost reached his goal when he heard Jason's breath hitch. Tommy froze.

"Are you okay?" he asked immediately.

"Yeah, go on. It's just … that kinda tickles," Jason murmured with a tiny grin.

"Oh. Okay." Seemed he had to be less tentative; the last thing Tommy wanted was to have Jason start giggling and destroy the mood.

_'What mood?'_ a little demon asked sarcastically in Tommy's mind, but he shoved it aside impatiently. Carefully increasing pressure, Tommy's fingertip finally found the spot he'd been looking for.

"Tell me if I'm going too fast or something, okay?"

"Sure."

This was somewhat familiar territory, so Tommy cautiously went on. Jason tensed for a second, but almost immediately exhaled on a long, slow breath and deliberately made himself relax. Moving carefully, eyes darting back and forth from Jason's crotch to his face to gauge his reactions, Tommy could feel Jason's body slowly adjust to the gentle invasion of his fingers. His lover's eyes were closed; he was breathing deeply, but he didn't protest even as Tommy began a careful pumping motion.

Jason moaned quietly and shifted on the makeshift bolster, spreading his legs wider apart.

"How's this feel?" Tommy murmured hoarsely. His insides were churning, whether with nerves or desire, he couldn't tell. But it hardly mattered; _his_ feelings were of secondary concern as he hadto make sure he wasn't hurting Jason!

"Pretty good. Don't stop."

"Okay."

The information they'd gathered had said to use as much lube as possible, so Tommy applied more of the clear, cool substance. Tommy knew that he should loosen Jason's body as much as possible, but even as he was trying to think of how exactly to do that, something odd intruded on his concentration. He dragged his eyes away from what he was doing and let them sweep over the muscular body.

While Jason was displaying no sign of discomfort except an occasional twitch or groan and was moving easily with the shallow thrusts of Tommy's fingers, he _wasn't _showing the one thing Tommy had always believed would be essential to that final step they were about to take – ardent arousal.

Jason was barely erect; a state that was not at all what Tommy was used to when they made love. Puzzled, Tommy started looking for other signs of excitement, but found them missing, too.

There was no flush, no light sheen of sweat on the tanned skin. Hell, Jason wasn't even breathing especially hard. It couldn't be lack of interest; they _had _agreed it was what they both wanted, so … what was the problem? Tommy had no idea. But this was something they didn't dare ignore, or get wrong, so no matter how foolish it might make him feel, it was better to ask. He stilled his hand's movement.

"Jase?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

Jason opened his eyes. "Yeah, why?"

Tommy shrugged, then looked pointedly at his partner's not-quite flaccid genitals. "You don't seem to be, ah, quite with it."

Jason glanced down his own body. Not that he needed to; he knew exactly what Tommy was getting at. He blushed. "Um …"

"I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"No," Jason assured Tommy. "Not at all."

"Does it feel right? What I'm doing, I mean?"

"I dunno," Jason confessed. "You know that this is as far as I've ever gone before – you were there each time, remember? And it's no different from the other times you've done this. Sure, there's a little discomfort, but it's not at all bad – nothing I couldn't get used to, anyway – and it feels kinda strange too, but that's to be expected, right?"

"I guess." It was reassuring to know Jason wasn't in any pain, but if that wasn't the reason for his lack of excitement, what was? "So why aren't you, uh …"

"Hard enough to pound nails?"

"Yeah."

Helplessly, Jason sighed. "I have no idea."

Tommy sighed as well – and carefully withdrew his fingers, wiping them surreptitiously on the towel. _-Man, this is gonna be messy …- _"Maybe I'm not doing it right," he ventured.

"I don't think so; from what we've found out, you're doing exactly as you should. And it felt fine, I tell you."

"Yeah, well, _something's _not working. Perhaps you should go first after all," Tommy suggested. It wasn't that he didn't want to be on top, but considering Jason's lack of arousal, he didn't know whether he could. And to be perfectly honest, he wasn't in a much better state. _-I'd need to be hard first – and right now, I'm anything but.- _

Having Tommy's fingers withdrawn from his body felt even stranger to Jason than having them inside of him. But he was not about to complain; they'd gotten closer to having intercourse than ever before, and he wasn't going to give up yet. "If you're sure."

"Uh huh."

"Let's switch, then."

Quickly, they changed positions. Tommy spread his thighs as Jason had done, and watched as his friend generously coated his fingers with the lubricant. But as he slid them unerringly towards his target, Tommy gasped involuntarily. Instantly, Jason stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing; the lube is just a little colder than I expected."

"It takes a couple minutes to warm up," Jason murmured. "No matter what the ad said."

Tommy suppressed the urge to giggle hysterically as his mind flashed back to some of the more lurid slogans they'd come across in their search for information. Thankfully, Jason managed to distract him with a nuzzling kiss and lick.

"Ready to go on?"

"Yeah." Tommy closed his eyes and lay back, trying to relax. He was getting aroused, and the gentle circling and pressure felt actually rather pleasant. One finger slid into him, soon followed by a second, and Tommy tried to adjust to the slew of familiar and new sensations even as he winced once when the edge of a fingernail scraped along a sensitive spot.

"Tommy?" Jason's worried voice cut through his attempt to catalogue his feelings while he was simultaneously trying to simply _feel_.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Jason reached for the lubricant once more, but he wasn't quite as deft with only his left hand – which was also rather unsteady. As he tried to apply more of the slick substance, he inadvertently squeezed the tube too hard, and a generous dollop of the clear, cool gel dropped onto a most sensitive area. Tommy yelped.

"Shit, that's _cold_!"

"Sorry," Jason mumbled, dropping the container as he hastily scooped up the excess with a corner of the towel. Embarrassed, he didn't dare look at his lover as he was fumbling to retrieve the tube and thus failed to notice that Tommy's expression was shifting from nervous anticipation to resigned frustration. "Just give me a sec and I'll get it right …"

"Don't bother," Tommy sighed, reaching down to grasp Jason's wrist and stopped him. The dark head jerked up in surprise.

"Tommy?"

"It's not working," Tommy repeated, his voice full of chagrin. "I'd like to say I'm not in the mood, but I am – well, I _think _I am, anyway. But not like this. Jase, I want our first time to be all about not getting enough of each other – really hot, like all the other times we've had sex. But right now, I can't even get it up all the way, and neither do you. That's _not _how it's supposed to be, is it?"

Jason stared at him for almost a full minute, then the broad shoulders slumped. "No, it's not," he grumbled. Reluctantly, he released his partner, cleaned his hand perfunctorily and scooted up to lie down next to Tommy. "Damn. I was really looking forward to have it finally happen."

"Me, too."

"What do you think went wrong?"

"No idea."

"I wish I knew what else to do," Jason sighed.

Tommy ran his fingers through Jason's hair. "Yeah. Could be we're just trying too hard."

"I guess." The two shared a wry grin and moved into a loose embrace. Jason rested his chin on Tommy's shoulder and peered at him sideways. "So what do you suggest we do?"

Tommy shrugged in resignation. "I'd say … nothing tonight. How about we sleep on it? And try again tomorrow or next time?"

"Okay," Jason sighed again. "Shit. I _really _wanted to do it tonight, but … as you said, there's gotta be more to it than this."

"Yeah. Let's hope it'll work another day."

**---**

**_ …Try, Try Again!_**

Tommy checked his living room one last time as he waited for Jason to arrive from Angel Grove. He'd had a cleaning service come in during the week and gone through a veritable orgy of tidying up after work; now the table was set, dinner was waiting to be served and the bedroom … he smiled. He'd made a special effort there, so the bedroom looked pretty spectacular, even if he said so himself. Tommy only hoped Jason would feel the same. His bed was already turned back with new, deep-red satin sheets, all necessary supplies laid in and within easy reach, his portable CD player loaded with something bluesy and sensual, chilled wine for afterwards waiting in a cooler – yes, everything _was_ ready. All that was left to do was light the scented votive candles he'd distributed around the room, and he went to do just that. As they were safe in sturdy glass containers, he could leave them burning without fear of anything catching on fire even with no-one to supervise – and hopefully by the time they went to bed, the room would not just be softly lit, but filled with the spicy sandalwood aroma he'd chosen.

After the near-fiasco of their attempt two weeks ago at finally having anal sex, they'd ended up making love in the shower the next morning; it had been satisfying as always, but definitely a far cry from what they'd set out to do. Talking things over afterwards, they'd come to the conclusion that in their eagerness to do everything just right they'd got caught up in technicalities and how-to considerations; what they'd failed to do was have fun and express their feelings.

_-No wonder we couldn't get in the mood!-_

So today, Tommy planned on rectifying that. Instead of concentrating on the mechanics, he believed that what they needed to be successful was more … romance. Not the flowers-and-candy kind, no, but wining and dining with Jason seemed to be the way to go. To that end, he'd done his best to create an atmosphere that would lead naturally to mutual seduction and with any luck, the evening would have a better ending than last time.

The door bell rang, heralding Jason's arrival, and Tommy set out to put his plan into motion.

"Hi," Jason greeted him with a smile as Tommy opened the door to let him in.

"Hi yourself," Tommy replied, divested Jason of his overnight bag and drew him into his arms. "I'm glad you're here," he murmured, and kissed him lingeringly.

"Wow," Jason commented as soon as he could speak again. "Now _that's _a hello I could get used to."

"There'll be more of that later," Tommy promised him with an enigmatic smile.

"Fantastic – but do you mind if I get cleaned up first and have something to eat? I left home right after school, and I'm starving," Jason chuckled.

"I'm hungry, too – for you," Tommy murmured huskily, running one hand down Jason's back to squeeze his butt. Jason gasped and bucked his hips, feeling his body react both to the playful touch as well as to the image of Tommy's mouth devouring every part of him. However, his growling stomach drowned out other, more primal needs.

"Hold that thought?" he asked, slipping in a teasing grope of his own that made Tommy shudder and moan. "I _really _need food first – or 'devouring you' might get a lot more literal than you've bargained for," he winked.

"Ugh. Sounds painful." Tommy wrinkled his nose and laughed. "Okay, rain check. Come on, let's get you fed." He slid an arm around Jason's shoulders and guided him towards the dining area. Jason whistled appreciatively as he saw the table; usually, they ate in the kitchen, but tonight Tommy had gone all out with laying a tablecloth, crystal wine glasses, cloth napkins … there even was a lit candle in a brass holder and some fresh leaves scattered among the plates for decoration. The rest of the room was lit by just a reading lamp, casting intriguing shadows on the walls, and their favorite rock ballads were playing on the stereo.

"Nice. What's the occasion?" he asked.

"No occasion. I just thought we could use a change from takeout boxes without going to a pricy restaurant," Tommy replied. "Besides, can't I treat your visit as something special for once? Because it is," he added softly. "_You're _special."

"So are you," Jason said and kissed him. "And you're right. We should never take what he have for granted."

"Exactly. But you still get to help," Tommy grinned. "Come on, there's a few things to finish."

"So _that's _how special I am – I'm your unpaid kitchen laborer," Jason laughed. "Okay, gimme a spatula or something!"

Within a few minutes dinner was served. Both men knew how to cook, but as Tommy wanted everything tonight to be as perfect as possible, he had chosen to buy their meal at a deli in Reefside. All they had to do was toss a salad, heat up the dishes in the microwave and put a loaf of French bread into the oven until it was crispy and brown. They talked idly as they ate, catching each other up on the time they'd spent apart. Afterwards, they carried their after-dinner drinks into the cozy den. Sinking into the cushions of the couch, Jason put his feet up on the coffee table and sighed contentedly.

"Ah. I needed that."

Tommy sat down next to Jason and slung his arm across the back of the sofa, leaning towards him. "As long as you enjoyed."

"I did, thanks. Good food, good drinks and even better company – what more could I want?"

"I could think of a few things," Tommy murmured, a smile in his voice.

Jason turned towards him and smiled back. "Well, yeah. That, too."

Close as they were, it was natural to kiss, and Tommy took his time, nibbling gently at Jason's mouth until his eyes closed and his lips opened. He explored the moist heat with gentle licks, coaxing Jason's tongue forward to meet his own, then chased it back with light jabs in a dance as old as time. He could taste the spices of their dinner, the tang of their after-dinner brandy and Jason himself as their breaths got heavier and Jason moaned softly at the back of his throat.

"Mmm."

Tommy slowly ended the kiss and waited until Jason's lids drifted up again. The dark eyes were smoky with the beginnings of arousal, and the hand Jason lifted to his face was no longer quite steady.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" he asked quietly. "Not just tonight, but every time we're together?"

"I think so," Tommy said, covering Jason's fingers with his own and rubbing his cheek against the warm palm. "If it's anything like what you're doing to _me_ …"

"What _am _I doing to you, Tom?" The deep voice was even lower than usual, and sent a pleasant thrill down Tommy's spine.

Tommy smiled lazily and started to lick the center of Jason's hand in tiny circles, making Jason gasp softly. "You really want to know?"

"Uh huh." Jason could feel himself grow hard, and not just from the maddeningly light caress. Tommy had never been especially vocal in expressing his desire; if he was going to overcome his reticence to do it now … the very idea made him shiver in anticipation. "Tell me? Please?"

He knew his own, lighter voice could never match Jason's sensual rumble, but Tommy gave it his best try. Nip-kissing his way up Jason's arm to his neck, he began to whisper a litany of desire. "You make me forget everything but wanting to take off your clothes and mine so I can kiss you all over. Being with you, together, naked, becomes the most important thing. When I feel your skin against mine, when you writhe and moan until you lose control and beg me to take you in my hand, or my mouth, you drive me mad with wanting you." Tommy swiped his tongue in a broad lick up the pulsing vein behind Jason's ear, then grasped the dark head and turned it towards himself. Lips hovering only a fraction of an inch over Jason's, Tommy waited until his lover looked at him with burning eyes.

"You turn me on, Jase," he murmured, "and I can't wait to have you." Swiftly, before Jason could reply, he thrust his tongue into the waiting mouth and proceeded to kiss him senseless.

Jason reciprocated enthusiastically, meeting every lick and swirl with equal fervor until Tommy's moans matched his own. He arched into Tommy's embrace, slipping one hand under his shirt to touch hot skin and felt Tommy's free hand slide over his crotch. Strong fingers closed around his erection through the fabric of his pants, and started to stroke. Instinctively, he thrust his hips into the firm grip, and he knew he wouldn't last long if they didn't stop now – and coming in his pants, exciting as it might be, was not what he wanted tonight. Not after the images Tommy had planted in his mind. Groaning, Jason tore his mouth away from the demanding kiss. Tommy had set him on fire, and he would do everything in his power to bring him to that same state.

"What are you waiting for, then?" he panted, eyes glittering as he tried to control his raging hormones. "That's exactly what you're doing to me every time we kiss, and I want what you want!"

"Even if I want to take you?"

"Hell, yes!"

This was what had been missing the last time; this was the way they should've gone. They had taken their time to reconnect after their weeks-long separation over the leisurely meal, and Tommy had done his best to create an atmosphere of mellow warmth before he started seducing him with kisses and words. _-Man, and what words! I can't believe the things he said – and how hot they've made me feel!- _

Tommy squeezed the hard ridge in Jason's pants one last time, then let his hand wander slowly upwards. He caressed the ribbed stomach and muscled chest through Jason's shirt, pinched his nipples and ended at the base of his throat. Through his fingertips, he could feel Jason's pulse hammer in his veins.

"Then … I suppose you won't say no if we tried again?"

Jason arched his neck, wishing Tommy would replace his fingers with his lips.

"Of course not," he moaned. "Tommy, please …!"

"Very well."

Another kiss, harder this time, plundered Jason's willing mouth. It was almost a shock when he was released and Tommy got up, but the hand held out in invitation and the come-hither look he was given brought Jason quickly to his feet as well. He grasped Tommy's hand. "Do you mean it? We're going to make love now?"

"Oh yeah," Tommy promised with glittering eyes. "Come, Jase. Come with me."

"Only if you promise to come with me as well," Jason smiled, his sultry expression giving an unmistakable double meaning to his words. A quick glance below Tommy's belt showed him that he was already hard as well, and he felt his palms itch and his mouth fill with saliva. He could hardly wait to get both on Tommy's body! "Think you can?"

His friend laughed softly. "I'm sure."

"What are we waiting for, then?"

"Just this." Tommy exerted a brief tug on the hand he still clasped and succeeded in bringing Jason into his arms. He kissed him almost roughly, making him groan and grind their hips together until they were both breathless with lust and anticipation. "Let's go."

_To Be Continued …_


	9. Getting It Right 2

_**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no money made etc._

_**Note: **In response to the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge, themes #02, atmosphere and #11, laughter._

_**Note II: **Okay, here's the second half of the previous chapter. (This puppy turned out even longer than I thought it would …!) I know I promised to have this ready last weekend; sorry for the delay. But right in the middle of this part, after I'd written a particularly GOOD scene, my effing laptop blue-screened on me without warning and three pages (plus all edits) were lost. Took me two days to get over being pissed as hell and back into the proper writing mood, but sadly I didn't quite manage to fully recreate that scene. -grumblemutterglare- Still, I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 8: Getting It Right (2)**

**_We Didn't Start The Fire …_**

Kissing and fondling each other every step of the way, they left the living room, crossed the hallway and entered Tommy's bedroom. Jason had a fleeting impression of muted candlelight, of gleaming red sheets and a waiting bed as Tommy closed the door behind them. Before he could take a better look, though, he found himself pressed against the wooden surface and his mouth once more invaded by a thrusting tongue. Jason returned the demanding kiss willingly and bucked against the fingers reaching for his zipper, but even as his eyes drifted shut they began to water and he had to cough.

"Shit, what's … _-cough-_ … that … _-cough-_ … smell?" he wheezed. "It stinks!"

Tommy was having difficulties breathing, too. "The damned candles," he croaked, realizing at once what must've have happened in the good two hours since he'd lit them. Wildly, he scanned the room for all the spots where he'd placed the votives. Sure enough, they were distributed so evenly that they had permeated the whole room, creating an almost miasma-like blanket of scent. "Crap, I had no idea the smell would be _this _strong!" Reluctantly, he let go of Jason, who almost immediately doubled over with another coughing fit.

"Maybe you shouldn't have used half a dozen," Jason choked, getting dizzy from the nearly-overpowering sandalwood fumes. "Isn't one or two usually enough for a room this size?"

"Could be. Hang on, I'll put them out." Quickly, Tommy blew out all but one candle on a wall-hanging shelf and opened the window next to it. The cool evening breeze fluttered the curtains and soon diluted the strong scent filling the room. The two men hurried over to stand side by side at the window, drawing fresh air deep into their lungs until they were able to breathe freely again.

"I'm sorry," Tommy said ruefully to Jason as they recovered. "I was just thinking of the ambience the candles would give. I didn't know it'd be this overpowering."

"Hey, no problem," Jason replied. "The soft light did look great, but … next time, use just one scented candle and plain others?" Privately, now that he'd had some time to take in the whole room, he couldn't help thinking that Tommy had gone just a little overboard with his preparations. First the specially-laid table, music and pre-cooked dinner, now sandalwood candles and satin sheets? If he wasn't mistaken, he'd even caught a glimpse of glass, like from a bottle, next to the bed. Against the dark-oak furniture and with the bed already turned back, the bedroom looked like a movie set for a high-class brothel. All that was missing was some mood music, and judging by the portable CD radio sitting on a shelf, that could be provided, too, by the flick of a button. He hid a smile. Tommy had obviously wanted to make up for the lack of atmosphere two weeks ago, and if everything taken together was just a tad too much … _-It's the thought that counts, bless him. And he does get an 'A' for effort!-_

"Sure," Tommy sighed, then slanted a sideways glance at Jason. "I suppose that's killed the mood again, huh."

To his surprise, Jason shook his head. "Not really," he rumbled softly and placed his hand on Tommy's chest. "If we leave the window open, the smell should go down to an okay level soon … and I'd hate to let those sheets go to waste," he winked. "Can't wait to see you on 'em."

"My thoughts exactly," Tommy replied, his mouth curving into a smile of his own. He drew Jason back into his arms and let his hands drift from his waist to the tight buttocks, gently stroking them through the soft cotton of Jason's chinos. "When I saw the color in the store, all I could think of how you'd look lying on them, stripped and waiting for me." Recalling that image, he felt himself lengthen and swell, as it had happened at the shop. He chuckled and blushed faintly, to Jason's surprise. "Hell, I nearly embarrassed myself with the salesgirl. Good thing I was wearing jeans, not loose cotton slacks, or she'd have gotten an eyeful for sure!"

"Did you really?" Jason asked delightedly, thrilled by the thought. "Pitch a tent, or something?"

"Uh huh. Told you you turn me on," Tommy murmured, leaning in to nosh at Jason's ear. "My reaction was almost exactly like this." To demonstrate, he thrust gently against Jason's hips, letting him feel his growing hardness. Jason moaned and reacted in kind, pressed up closer to Tommy, angled for a kiss, then trailed his moistened lips across Tommy's cheek down his neck.

"I have that much of an effect on you?" he wondered. "Even when I'm not there?"

Tommy grinned even as he slipped his hands under Jason's shirt to touch smooth, warm skin. "Oh yeah. You've always managed to get a rise out of me, one way or another."

Amused against his will, Jason groaned and rolled his eyes at the pun, but didn't evade those questing hands. Instead, he reached for his lover's belt and started to unbuckle it. "Good to know – because it's mutual. So how about we check out the effect now?" he breathed with a sly smile.

"I thought you'd never ask."

**---**

They took their time undressing each other, frequently stopping to kiss, lick, nibble and caress a patch of skin revealed whenever a piece of clothing was removed. When they were finally both nude, both men were breathing heavily and fully aroused.

"Let's lie down," Jason murmured, his eyes smoky with desire.

"Mm-hmm," Tommy agreed, but got distracted by the lure of satin-soft skin stretching over Jason's hardness. He encircled it with his fingers and began to pump slowly. Jason's head fell back and his eyes closed as he moaned blissfully and simply enjoyed the gentle touch for a couple of minutes. Soon, though, he dragged himself out of the sensual haze and asked Tommy to stop.

"If you keep that up, it'll be over before we even get started," he rasped.

"Oh. Can't have that." Regretfully, Tommy let go of Jason, but not without a parting pass across his groin. Jason shivered, then simply reached for Tommy's hand and led him the few remaining steps towards the waiting bed. Once there, he let go and sank onto the mattress.

"Aah, yes!" Jason sighed as he lay back, enjoying the feel of the cool, smooth satin against his heated skin as he stretched sensuously. Tommy had set the stage for him; now it was time to make use of it. He was rarely shy about showing off his assets and he did so now, tucking one hand beneath his head and running the other over his own body.

Tommy drank in the sight of Jason displaying himself like this for him. The contrast of dark hair and tanned skin against the expanse of gleaming wine-red cloth was exactly as he'd imagined it, surpassing any fantasy.

With a knowing smile, Jason decided to give his lover a performance he wouldn't soon forget. "Like what you see?"

"Yeah …"

"Good. Then look as much as you want."

Tommy just nodded; he couldn't have glanced away if his life depended on it, and he was far too aroused to speak.

Under his lover's burning gaze, Jason continued to tease his nipples with one hand. Next, he started to fondle himself slowly with the other, growing harder and larger until his broad chest was heaving with his shallow breaths. His voice turned rough with arousal. "Wanna join me?"

"You bet," Tommy breathed and nearly tumbled into the bed as he joined his lover. The light breeze wafting in from the open window was a silken caress on their heated skin; within minutes, the only sounds filling the dimly-lit room were the soft creaks of the mattress and bed-frame – and the excited moans of two men, their sweat-slick bodies writhing together on the bed, trying to touch wherever they could with hands and lips.

Tommy thought he might burst if he didn't find relief soon. At the moment, Tommy was kneeling between Jason's thighs as he brought them both to a fever pitch of anticipation and their breaths coming in short, hard gasps. He met the look in the smoldering dark eyes with a lusty stare of his own.

"I've got to have you now, Jase," he murmured hoarsely. "I can't wait any longer."

Jason caught his breath as he felt himself react intensely with excitement. "God, yeah," he rasped, and kissed Tommy hard, grinding his lover's hips once more into his own. A part of him demanded to be the one in control, to take rather than give, but he told it sternly to wait its turn. Still … "Are you sure you don't want me to be on top?" he couldn't help asking.

Tommy caught Jason's hands, held them over the top of his head and laughed softly, his eyes full of love and desire. Yes, he also wanted Jason to take him, but right now, the prospect of going first was irresistible. Jason would just have to wait; once he was done, he'd be more than willing to submit in turn. "Yes. I want this as much as you do. Besides … does it matter who does what?"

Jason chuckled and accepted Tommy's decision with good grace as he relaxed in the lovingly firm grip. "Not really."

"Then stop talking and let me get on with it!"

Jason swallowed hard as the firm request nearly sent him over the edge. With an effort, he controlled himself. "Let go of me," he demanded softly in return. When Tommy reluctantly complied, he spread his legs even wider to give his lover more room and with one hand reached between their bellies. "Where's the lube?"

"Nightstand," Tommy moaned, his eyes closing in bliss as Jason expertly started to manipulate them both simultaneously. Instinct made him rock back and forth, and the fire in his veins threatened to become a conflagration. His arms began to tremble from the strain of holding himself poised above Jason. "God, Jase, hurry!"

"Yeah." Jason groped unsteadily for the drawer's handle with his free hand and blindly rummaged through the few items inside. His questing fingers eventually encountered a bottle-shaped container, so he took it out, all the while trying not to lose hold of the prize throbbing in his grasp. He _also_ tried to nip-kiss his way from one sensitive nipple to the other. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't get the container to open with just one hand. Jason realized that he needed to actually _look_ at what he was doing, or he'd end up pouring the stuff anywhere but where it _should_ go. Reluctantly, he abandoned the swollen nubs on the leanly-muscled chest.

Jason actually needed a second to orient himself, he'd been that absorbed in and focused on making love to Tommy. In his overheated imagination, one wall of the room seemed to be awash in flickering flames, and if Tommy's moans and gasps weren't filling his mind to the exclusion of nearly everything else, he could almost believe that he could literally _hear _the crackle of fire. He shook himself and tried to get a clear look at the bottle of lube. A glance showed that the cap didn't need to be unscrewed; it had a flip-top cover instead, and Jason was just about to pry it open when a strange light flickering near the window caught his attention. _-Probably just the candle Tommy left burning. Or a kind of fancy mirage.- _Tommy was kneeing his thighs further apart and moaned his name in entreaty. It was extremely, pleasantly distracting, and Jason instinctively complied, but some instinct still made him look past Tommy's arm at the wall, towards what he'd thought was pure imagination … and he pushed Tommy off of him with a single, powerful shove.

"Shit! Fire!" He was cursing a blue streak even as he jumped to his feet and surged forward.

"What?" Shocked, Tommy lay where Jason had thrown him, staring rather dazedly at his friend's backside. The tight, flexing buttocks beckoned to him, but why had Jason left their bed? He saw Jason rushing towards the window, his gloriously nude form outlined by a fiery aura against the dark square of the window, and wondered for a second if his mind was playing tricks on him. _-I wanted fire for our first time, and Jason's been giving it to me in spades … doesn't get much hotter than this!- _The next instant, Tommy realized that he wasn't imagining the flames – there really _was _afire in his bedroom!

Pure adrenaline brought him to Jason's side in an instant, and together they tore down the burning curtains, throwing them out of the window into the yard below. A few sparks had fallen to the floor and onto the shirt Tommy had dropped there earlier, setting it aflame as well. Instinctively, he tried to stomp out the burning cloth, but Jason stopped him just in time.

"Don't! You'll burn your foot!"

Tommy froze mid-motion. "But …"

Quickly, Jason grabbed a pillow from the bed and thrust it at his partner.

"Here, take this!"

"Right."

A few heavy whaps managed to beat out the flames, and Tommy yanked up the still-smoldering shirt and sent it after the curtains into the yard where it would do no more harm. He winced as he singed his fingers; in his haste he hadn't noticed the embers still glowing in a few folds. Panting heavily, he looked around.

"Did we get everything?"

"I think so," Jason answered, his own chest heaving. With a sigh, he wiped his forehead, leaving a smudge of soot behind. "At least in here. But one of us should go down and throw some water on the curtains; the grass below the window could be dry enough to catch fire. And if it is …"

"… my whole house might burn down," Tommy realized. "I'll go."

"'Kay. And I'll take care of things in here."

"Right." With a resentful sigh, Tommy picked up his jeans and stepped into them, not even bothering with underwear. "Be right back." He turned towards the door, but was held back by Jason's hand on his shoulder. "What?"

"Better put on some shoes," Jason murmured with a wry smile. "The last thing we need is you cutting yourself on something just because we got careless."

"Hmph." It was unlikely to happen, but Jason had a point; so Tommy did as he was told, then quickly went downstairs. The curtains were indeed still smoldering, probably set off once more by the wind and when the shirt got dropped on top of them. He kicked the whole lot onto the graveled area behind his garage, then turned on the garden hose and sprayed everything until all that was left was a smelly, steaming heap of charred fabric. Deciding he could leave that to deal with the next morning, he turned off the tap, slung the hose haphazardly aside and trudged wearily back into the house. His heartbeat slowly returned to a more normal level, and the rush of danger-fuelled adrenaline subsided. Unfortunately, so did his desire.

**---**

Jason just looked at Tommy as he returned to the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He'd also thrown on some pants, blown out the last candle, put it on the floor and opened the window all the way, letting the night air clear the smell of smoke from the room. He'd switched on the central overhead light, and in its glare it was easy to see the damage done to the room.

"It's not too bad," Jason remarked as he saw Tommy's expression. "All that's really lost is your shirt, the pillowcase and the curtains; we can fix the curtain rod with a couple of screws and some spackle, and the scorch mark on your floor boards can be removed with a sander."

"Thanks for the DIY lesson," Tommy snapped, then caught himself. "I'm sorry. It's just … things were going so well, and to get interrupted like this …"

"It sucks, I know," Jason replied, came over and slipped a comforting arm around Tommy's shoulder. "You don't have to apologize for being angry."

"I'm not angry, just disappointed," Tommy sighed, leaning into the light embrace. "Shit. I wanted everything to be perfect tonight, and look what happened."

"Everything _was _perfect, Tom," Jason murmured, then grinned lightly. "After all, we got it almost right this time. Last time, you said we were missing out on heat and fire; well, between your preparations and ourselves, we managed that alright tonight – we just didn't expect it to be literally."

"Yeah, well …"

"Come on, it's not the end of the world. So we didn't get around to making love-"

"Again," Tommy groused.

"Again," Jason repeated dutifully, then tightened his arm around Tommy. "Big deal. I bet parents with young kids get interrupted more often, and for less serious things. Sure, I'm sorry about it, too – everything was going so right, and you made me feel _really _good, but … there'll be other times," he soothed.

Tommy was having none of it. "The way things are going, it'll be when hell freezes over," he griped. "Dammit, what do we have to do to finally have _real _sex? Lock ourselves into a bunker somewhere and throw away the key? If I hadn't been such an idiot to light so many candles, we wouldn't have had to open the window, and if I'd stopped to _think_ for a second, I'd have set the last candle well out of reach of the curtains. It's all my fault that things went wrong again, and if I'd-"

"Stop that right now, Tom!" Jason interrupted him forcefully, even shaking him a little. "Beating yourself over the head with 'if I'd done this' or 'if I hadn't done that' is useless. Shit happens, and you know that as well as I do. Going in circles with 'what ifs' got old around the time you lost your first set of Powers for good – and _that_ wasn't your fault, either. So stop playing the guilt card already – it won't work. Not with me, and not about this. It was an _accident_, nothing more, nothing less."

He paused for breath, then went on before Tommy could get a word in edgewise. "Was that accident stupid? Maybe. Bad timing? Hell, yeah. But that doesn't mean we're jinxed, or cursed, or whatever. It just means we'll have to try again." He sighed and shook his head. "Bro … as far as I'm concerned, we've been having 'real' sex since we became lovers during spring break last year. You've touched me in every way possible since then – physically as well as emotionally, and I'd like to think I've done the same with you."

"You have," Tommy murmured, still rather pissed. "But …"

"No buts," Jason said firmly. "Just because we haven't, um, gone all the way yet doesn't make our lovemaking any less 'real'. Not when it's everything I could possibly wish for. Remember earlier tonight, when you told me what I'm doing to you?"

Mutely, Tommy nodded; how could he forget what had led to some of the best foreplay it had ever been his pleasure to engage in? He was sure the sex, _if _they'd gotten around to it, would've been just as spectacular. But he was feeling too upset about the fresh failure. He couldn't bear to be reminded of what might have been. "Jase, right now I don't want-"

He was stopped by a finger across his lips. "Hush. I'm not finished."

Mutinously, Tommy fell silent under Jason's admonishing stare.

"Whether you want to hear it or not, here's _my_ list." Inhaling deeply, Jason continued, lowering his voice to a soft, intimate rumble that sent chills down Tommy's spine despite himself. "When you hold me, I shiver. When we kiss, I start trembling. When I take you in my hand or mouth, I feel like I'm melting inside. Double that when you're the one bringing _me_ off with your hands – and when you use your lips on me, it's …" Words failed him, and he shrugged. "Let's just say that the chart measuring my feelings in those moments hasn't been written yet," Jason concluded softly. He gazed deeply into the still-stormy brown eyes searching his own.

"_That's_ what sex with you is doing to me. No, wait – we're not just having sex; we're _making love_. Big difference. So tell me that isn't real, Tommy. Tell me if you can – and make me believe you mean it. Because to me, it doesn't get more real than that."

Truer words had never been spoken between them. A part of him wanted to shout a resounding 'YES!' and kiss Jason senseless for baring his heart and soul like that, yet another part, the stubborn one that insisted it _was _all his fault, wouldn't quite be silenced.

"Yes, but …" He never got further than that.

"No buts. I love you, Bro," Jason murmured quietly, removing one hand from around Tommy's shoulders to wrap it around the narrow hips and draw Tommy against him. "And it doesn't matter if we ever get to do more than we already do or not. It won't change my feelings for you. Because they're _real_."

"I love you, too," Tommy replied unsteadily, his inner demon vanishing in a puff of smoke under the power and truth of the simple declaration. "And you're right, what we have _is _real." He quirked a wry grin. "Guess my real idiocy was in believing even for an instant that it wasn't. I'm sorry."

The sincere apology, brief as it was, was accepted with a gentle kiss and a smile. "Yes."

Tommy did a double-take at the matter-of-fact statement, saw the glint of humor in the midnight-dark eyes and gave a rueful chuckle before he moved all the way into his best friend and lover's arms. They had the laughter back; that meant the universe was right-side up again. "You would have to agree with _that_, wouldn't you."

"Of course." Jason laid his cheek against Tommy's, feeling the slight rasp of five o'clock shadow on his lips as he brushed a kiss towards the nearest ear. "If I didn't, you'd go off on one guilt trip after another, and I'm sick and tired of following you there," he whispered, nipping playfully at the lobe.

"Sorry." Tommy sighed again and finally relaxed into Jason's embrace, gratefully soaking up the peace and love he was being offered. For his part, Jason gave freely of his feelings, secure in the knowledge that tonight's failure was just another temporary setback. _-We'll get there. I know we will. If not tonight, then another time.- _

They stood holding each other for long minutes, until a barely-smothered yawn from Jason roused Tommy from his contentment.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Jason admitted, shrugging sheepishly. "I've been up since before seven in the morning; what with the drive up here after school and all the excitement we've had … it's been a long day."

"You must be beat," Tommy concluded, reluctantly easing out of the comforting hold. As he moved, he was surprised by a yawn of his own and had to grin. "Now that you mention it, me too. C'mon, let's get some sleep."

"Please."

They kissed deeply, but it was soothing rather than arousing. For once, both men preferred it that way. Jason slipped his hand into Tommy's, their fingers intertwined and together they turned, only to be stopped short by the sight of the rumpled bed.

One pillow was missing, the covers had been kicked halfway to the floor and the red satin sheets which had looked so sensual and inviting before suddenly seemed rather garish in the bright overhead light. The bare, black square of the window, the faint soot marks around the edges and the torn-off curtain pole leaning against the wall next to it were more unwelcome reminders of the mishap that had cut short the passion they'd shared earlier.

"I don't know about you, but I really don't feel like getting back into that bed. Those sheets are made for hot, steamy, I-can't-get-enough-of-you sex, not to sleep on," Jason muttered.

"Yeah," Tommy sighed. "And to be honest, right now I'm really no longer in the mood. Are you?"

"Nah."

They continued to stare at the bed. The gleaming bedding almost seemed to mock them.

"We _could _change the sheets," Tommy said reluctantly.

"I guess …" But now that weariness was catching up with them, even that relatively simple task seemed like too much effort.

They shared a glance. "Guest room?" Jason suggested at last.

Tommy blushed faintly. "It's, uh, still kinda, um, messy in there," he mumbled, embarrassed. Assembling the guest bed and unpacking the last boxes of his books, trophies and tapes had been on his to-do list since he'd moved into the house, but somehow, he'd always found other, more important things to do. "Like, the bed's kinda still in pieces …"

Jason rolled his eyes and sighed. Being familiar with Tommy's sometimes rather sketchy housekeeping talents, he had a good idea what they'd find in the guest room. _-I'm really too tired to deal with a room full of junk now!-_

"Where else can we sleep then?" he asked, just a little crossly. "No offense, Tommy, but …"

"I know," Tommy hastened to reassure him. "I'm sorry. I'll take care of it next week, I promise. In the meantime …" He thought quickly, trying to come up with a suggestion that would be more comfortable than getting out an air mattress and sleeping bags. Inspiration struck. "You know … if you don't mind really close quarters, we could just take off the back cushions of the couch. That'll make it almost queen-size – larger than a single bed, anyway. Sure, it'll be tight, but … "

"But it's gonna be more comfortable than the floor, I suppose," Jason grumbled, then gave Tommy a smile. "Of course I don't mind sleeping close to you, silly." He went and grabbed two pillows from the bed. "So what do we use for blankets?"

"I have a lightweight comforter in the hall closet."

"Perfect. Let's go."

Together, they left the bedroom, collected what they needed and went back downstairs to the living room. Minutes later, the two men were snuggled up on the couch, Tommy's head resting on a broad, bare shoulder as Jason drew the cover more closely around them.

He yawned and slipped one leg between Jason's for a more comfortable fit. "Y'know, this is kinda nice," he murmured.

"Uh huh," Jason agreed around a yawn of his own. Absently, he petted Tommy's naked back, liking the feel of warm skin against his own. _-If I weren't so tired …- _But he _was_ exhausted. To his surprise, though, he found his mind was still wrestling with one thought. Deciding to bring it out into the open before he forgot, he spoke up.

"Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"No more plans from now on."

"Huh?" Tommy lifted his head sleepily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jason shifted his head on the pillow and stuck his free arm underneath so he could look into Tommy's eyes.

"I don't want to make plans for making love anymore. And I don't want _you _to make any either."

That was so unexpected that Tommy felt himself return to full wakefulness. Levering himself up to lean on one elbow, he stared at Jason. "I don't understand," he said, severely puzzled. "I thought you wanted it as much as I did …"

Jason chuckled and drew him back down onto his chest. "I still do, don't worry."

"Then what … why …"

He pressed a kiss into the short brown hair. "When we have 'real' sex at last – ow!" He found himself pinched for his slightly exaggerated emphasis and repetition of Tommy's earlier phrasing. "Stop that!"

"Stop throwing my words back at me, then; I _said_ it was stupid and that I was sorry, okay?"

So he had. But it would provide teasing material for a good while nonetheless. Jason grinned to himself, then continued. "Right. Anyway, what I meant to say was – I don't want us to _plan_ for it anymore. No more big seduction scenes, no deliberate setups, no special preparations. If it happens, it happens; tomorrow, next week, next year, whenever. I don't care."

It seemed the sensible thing to do, but after all his earlier trouble to make the atmosphere as perfect as possible, Tommy couldn't help but feel slightly hurt. "Didn't you like what I did?" he asked plaintively. Jason immediately hugged him in reassurance.

"I loved it."

_-Oh. That's okay, then.-_ "Really?"

"Yep. But to be honest, after the last time … when I drove up here, I'd kind of expected you to have prepared something of the sort – and it had me in knots all the way. It … wasn't a very comfortable feeling, and I'd prefer not to have to go through that anymore."

"I can see that, I guess." Trying to put himself into Jason's place, Tommy _did _see how anticipation, even of something pleasant that they both wanted, could have its negative side – especially as it concerned a step into the unknown. Especially after their impromptu first attempt had unwittingly gone so wrong. Jason smiled, relieved that he understood.

"Besides, you already ticked all the boxes; if we continue to make plans, it'll either be a copy of tonight – well, minus the fire, I hope – or we'll get into a spiral of 'anything you can do, I can do better'. And I definitely don't want that to happen."

"Ugh, no," Tommy agreed. "And yeah for the nerves," he admitted wryly. "I was so afraid I'd do something wrong, or worse, that you'd laugh at me when you saw my preparations."

"Not gonna happen."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I'd never laugh at something done out of love."

That demanded a kiss, which was gladly given and received.

"So, are we agreed then?" Jason asked softly when they were done.

"Yes."

"Good." Another, huge yawn escaped Jason, and Tommy laughed. Wrapping himself even more tightly around the strong body lying beside him, he finally found the perfect position and closed his eyes.

"Go to sleep, Jase."

"Yeah. G'night."

"Night."

Soon, they slept.

**---**

_**Pain And Pleasure**_

"'Come spend the weekend with me,' you said. 'It'll be fun,' you said," Tommy muttered at David as he limped from the corral back to the house his brother shared with Sam Trueheart on the reservation. He was supported on either side by David and Jason, and David was also carrying his saddle bag. "What you _didn't _say was that you planned to drag us into the wilderness on a cattle drive, with over fifty head of loud, obnoxious, stinking cows and that we had to sleep on the ground in the worst rainstorm the state of California has seen within the last twenty years. _Without_ a tent, I might add. Fun? I think not!"

Jason had to hide a grin. "Come on, Bro, it wasn't _that _bad," he said, hoping Tommy couldn't hear the amused quiver in his voice. He didn't dare look at David, or he'd collapse in hysterics.

"Don't tell me you like being cold and wet!"

"Well, I could've done without the rain, yes," he admitted. "But David didn't know the weather was gonna change so suddenly. And I for one really enjoyed the ride."

"You didn't get the nag from Hell, either," Tommy sniped.

"Your horse was perfectly fine, brother. It was _you _who insisted on playing John Wayne and chased him into the creek at full gallop. No wonder he threw you," David said curtly as they staggered along the narrow street. Tommy wasn't exactly a lightweight, and he was leaning heavily on both his companions. "You can count yourself lucky that all you got were bumps and bruises, and aren't on your way to the nearest ER right now."

"I keep telling you, the horse got spooked!"

"Yeah, right," David snorted and stopped a few doors down from his and Sam's house. "Try slipping on a submerged rock, thanks to your damn-fool stunt. What if he'd broken a leg? We'd have had to put him down on the spot, and what then? Do you have _any _idea what a trained trail horse costs?" He named a figure that made Jason whistle and Tommy blanch. With an effort, David controlled his irritation and dumped Tommy's bag in front of a neat house. "Okay, here we are. Think you guys can manage to come over to Sam's for dinner?"

"Sure," Jason replied. "Thanks, David."

He took a firmer hold of Tommy and guided his friend slowly around the neat, whitewashed house. They were staying in a cabin one of the Truehearts' neighbors had in her back yard (originally built for her son who had moved out several years ago) and was now rented out to visitors. The wooden A-frame structure stood at the far end of the garden, and once inside showed very basic amenities – a double bed that was already made, two worn easy chairs and a small table under the window, a dresser and a serviceable bathroom with shower. It wasn't much, but enough for one night.

"David's right, you know," he remarked as Tommy frowned at the little-old-lady-ish décor. "That horse could've been seriously injured."

"What about me?" Tommy muttered, angry and starting to feel embarrassed. "I could've been seriously hurt, too!"

"Do you think that hadn't occurred to me? You nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw you go down," Jason said quietly. "Until you got up and were obviously none the worse for wear, I pictured you with broken ribs, limbs … or, God forbid, a broken spine." He drew a deep breath, forcing the quiver out of his voice before he continued. "You don't have to prove yourself to me or anyone, Tom. Please – don't pull a stunt like that again? For my sake, if nobody else's?"

Now Tommy _was _embarrassed. Worse than that, he was mortified that he had caused so much trouble and worried both his brother and his best friend in the process. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, cheeks burning.

"It's not me you should apologize to."

"I know, and I'll tell David at dinner," Tommy said ruefully. He touched Jason's shoulder. "Forgive me?"

To his relief, Jason nodded and smiled, then changed the subject. "You wanna sit, or lie down until it's time to go?"

Tommy sighed as he weighed the armchair's advantages against the bed's. "I don't know. The bed looks awful inviting, but if I _do _stretch out I'm not sure I can get up again, I'm that sore."

Jason smirked just a little. "I keep telling you, Bro – you're stuck behind your desk or in a lab way too often and long. No wonder you're out of shape!"

"Hey, I _do _exercise regularly," Tommy protested, stung. He knew that, while fit, he was a long way from being in 'fighting trim' at present. Quite unlike Jason, who as a PE teacher had daily opportunities to work out with his students … and used them, too. He just hadn't wanted to believe his recent lack of activity was so noticeable.

"Yeah – to keep fit, but that's about all you're doing. Tom, you _know _how fast muscles atrophy if they aren't used, and that's doubly true for athletes. If you don't get back into a routine, you'll be sorry." Jason smiled to soften the rebuke and gripped Tommy's shoulder. "Not that I don't like wiping the floor with you when we spar – and I have lately, don't bother to deny it," he teased, "– but it's also because of your health. I don't want you to get sick or anything, so please make the effort?"

Jason was completely right, but that didn't mean Tommy liked to admit it. He _had _let himself slide just a little recently, gotten caught up in teaching and a research project. Glaring half-heartedly at Jason, he wished he could stop a tell-tale blush from staining his cheeks.

"If I do, are you gonna let me die in peace now?" He took a step away from Jason, felt his leg muscles cramp painfully in protest and groaned, perhaps a little melodramatically for effect. "I hurt all over!"

"I bet you do," Jason said consolingly. "Listen, why don't you go and take a long, hot shower while I pick up our stuff from the car? It'll warm you up and relax you, and we can ask David at dinner if he has some kind of liniment or something. If he does, I'll give you a rubdown before bed."

What an appealing idea! Tommy brightened a little. "Okay," he sighed. "At the least, it'll get me out of these clothes. Man, I _hate _being damp and muddy!"

"You're not the only one," his friend grinned. "Just don't use up all the hot water, okay?"

**---**

By the time Jason returned, Tommy was just emerging from the bathroom, clean and looking somewhat more cheerful. He was also only clad in a towel haphazardly tucked around his waist. Jason dropped their overnight bags on the dresser and stopped for a minute to admire the view. The light-blue terry cloth contrasted nicely with Tommy's tanned skin, and the flash of thigh and butt he got with every step Tommy took made his mouth water.

"You look good enough to eat, Bro," he said huskily.

"Oh yeah?" Tommy smiled. He knew from his own experience that droplets of water glistening on a muscular chest could be an incredible turn-on; it never failed to get a rise out of him when he got to ogle Jason in a similar state on one of their visits.

"Uh huh. Can I have a snack?" Jason asked playfully, came over and ran one hand caressingly down his lover's back. He stopped at the edge of the towel.

"No snacks before dinner," Tommy replied in a mock-stern imitation of his mother's voice. "And _definitely _not before you've cleaned up. You still stink of cow and horse!" Then, he sobered. "Jase … I may have to take a rain check tonight. I'm _really _sore, and I don't know if I'll be up to anything. Literally," he added wryly. "Do you mind?"

Jason kissed him and shrugged.

"Yes, I do mind – but only because we get few enough chances to make love as it is. But we knew beforehand we might not have the opportunity – no _way _would I be comfortable about being with you in Sam's house. Or any of our folks' homes, really."

"Um, yeah." The very thought that his, or Jason's parents, might accidentally overhear them together sent a shudder through Tommy. Sometimes, they tended to get rather … vigorous, and that was _not _the kind of thing he cared to share with anyone. Nor did Jason, it seemed.

"But I'm sorry you're too tired and sore. I asked David if he had some muscle-relaxant cream, and he promised to ask around; hopefully, he'll get hold of some stuff from somebody: Fancy a massage later?"

"I think I'd like that," Tommy said, genuinely grateful. "Now, why don't you go get cleaned up and I'll unpack? I don't want to stiffen up completely-"

"But I _like_ you all stiff," Jason teased, dark eyes twinkling as he plucked at the towel. His lover grinned and slapped the inquisitive fingers away from his posterior.

"I know. Behave."

"Spoilsport."

"Sex fiend. _As_ I was going to say, unpacking should be non-strenuous enough to keep me going through dinner."

"Right." Reluctantly, Jason took a step away from Tommy and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Lay out some shorts for me, please? It's too warm tonight for jeans."

"Sure." Delivering a not-quite stinging slap on the firm butt encased in muddy jeans, Tommy started to whistle innocently at the outraged yelp he got in return. "What?"

"I'll get you for this, Bro!"

"I'm sure you will. In fact, I'm counting on it," Tommy leered comically, then ruined the effect by wincing in pain as he bent to pick up his bag. "Later, though. Now get going, or we'll miss dinner – and I for one am suddenly starving!"

Jason snorted and mooned him as he shucked the rest of his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom, Tommy's laughter ringing behind him.

**---**

"That was great. Thanks, Sam," Tommy commented as the four men cleared away the dishes.

"Yeah. It was wonderful, especially after two days on the trail with only canned beans, sandwiches and instant coffee," Jason added, carrying a carafe of freshly-brewed java into the living room.

"I'm glad you boys enjoyed it," the old shaman replied.

"Very much, thank you. Much as I like my Asian food, sometimes nothing beats good old home cooking." Jason handed Tommy's relative a steaming cup, then sat on the couch next to his friend. "And this was some of the best I've ever had – my mother would kill for that soup recipe, I'm sure."

Sam smiled, pleased. "See me tomorrow before you leave, and I'll have it written it down for you."

"That'd be great, thanks."

"It's an old family recipe from David and Tommy's mother's side of the family …" The tale slowly veered off into stories about the brothers' roots, eagerly followed by Tommy especially and listened to with quiet enjoyment by Jason. He knew little to nothing about his best friend's heritage, and it made him glad to see that Tommy was given yet another chance to learn about his birth parents and extended family history. Jason knew how being adopted had sometimes bothered Tommy in the past, and he would be interested in Sam's memories just for the sake of this – but he found to his surprise that he genuinely liked hearing about something that was part of his country's history as well.

After a fascinating hour or so, however, Tommy's soreness caught up with him, and he winced visibly as he shuffled to the bathroom.

"Guess we should go; Tommy really ought to lie down and relax, or he'll be in real pain on the drive home tomorrow," Jason said ruefully, observing Tommy's slow movement with concern in his eyes. "It's a long way to Reefside."

"You are quite right, he must rest," Sam nodded. "Both of you, really; you're not used to long days in the saddle."

"We will, thank you, sir," Jason smiled. He looked up when David tapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah?"

David handed him a ceramic jar with a screw-top. "Here, take this. I talked to Jake Bear, and he swears it's the best treatment for sore muscles there is."

Curiously, Jason opened the jar and dipped a finger into the faintly-yellow cream. It had a smooth, silky texture that would be easily spread and smelled rather pleasant as he rubbed his fingertips together. "Nice. What's in it?"

"No idea, but I'm assuming from the scent that it's lots of herbs – rosemary, sage, verbena, lavender and so on. They all have relaxing properties, and Jake said his mother makes it herself from all-natural ingredients. I think she even grows most of 'em in her own garden."

"Sounds like you should eat it, not rub it in," Jason grinned.

"Eat what?" Tommy wanted to know as he returned, but didn't wait for an answer. "Never mind; I'm so full, I can hardly move – and that's on top of my aches," he mumbled, rather embarrassedly. "I feel like I'm eighty tonight. Can we please go now so I can lie down?"

"Sure." They said their good-byes and left, walking slowly down the quiet street to Mrs. Blackdeer's cabin. Sunset was nearly gone, but the sky behind the mountains still showed a band of glorious reds, oranges and purples.

"It's beautiful out here," Jason commented idly, soaking in the quiet surrounding them. "If this weren't so far away from everything, I could get used to living in a place like this."

"Why do you think I bought my house? It's close enough to the city for shopping, eating and stuff, but too far out to have people dropping in at whim. Especially my students. Perfect!"

"And access to the Dino Lair had nothing to do with it?" Jason grinned.

"It wasn't the Lair then, just a convenient underground cellar. Hayley and I just set up shop there – and if I hadn't gotten compensation from the insurance company when Mercer's island blew up, I never could've afforded everything."

"Good thing you did, then."

"Yeah." They'd reached their cabin, and Tommy unlocked the door. Turning on the light, he blinked against the glare of a neon strip. "Man. By daylight, this didn't look too bad – a little rustic, chintzy and run down, but livable. Now, though …" He shrugged. "Oh well."

"I found a couple of candles in the top drawer of the dresser," Jason suggested, then grinned when Tommy vehemently shook his head.

"No way! I've had enough of candles!"

"Hey, we're not _always _going to set the house on fire."

"You mean _I'm _not going to," Tommy grumbled, but his eyes were filled with amusement. Now that some time had passed, he was able to look back at the incident at his house and see the funny aspect. That didn't mean he was risking a repeat, though. "No more candles."

"Okay, okay," Jason acquiesced, went over to the bed and turned on the small lamp on the nightstand. A soft glow began to fill the room. "This'll do, I guess."

"Uh huh." Tommy reached for the light switch. As the harsh neon light went out and his eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness, he stared disbelievingly at the innocent light fixture. "Um … correct me if I'm wrong, but … is that light pink?"

His friend snickered at the disgusted tone. "Seems like it."

"But … but the shade looked orange!"

"The yellow from the bulb must be filtering out some of the spectrum through the fabric or something," Jason speculated. "You're the scientist; you tell _me_."

"Hmph." Tommy was not in the mood to recall what little he knew about spectrography and/or color charts; all he wanted was to lie down at last and rest his weary muscles. Casting a disgusted look at the bedside lamp, he began to undress. "I can't believe we're having pink light," he muttered. "_Pink_! Bah!"

"Don't let Kim or Kat hear you," Jason laughed and followed suit. "They're likely to skin you alive!"

"Good thing they're not here then," Tommy said dryly as he kicked his shoes under the bed. Briefly, he wondered what either of his former girlfriends would say if they knew _Jason_ was his lover now, but chased the thought away. For the time being, they weren't likely to find out. He and Jason were fine just as they were – still safely in the closet. _-We're not gonna tell people about us until we're both ready – when the time is right. And until then_ _…__ah, who cares?-_

When they were both stripped down to their briefs, Jason picked up the ointment jar again and set it on the nightstand. "Why don't you lie down? I need to go to the bathroom first, but as soon as I'm done I can give you a good rubdown with the cream David has given us."

"Yes, please. I didn't notice it so much at Sam's, what with the food and conversation, but now that I'm no longer distracted, I'm starting to feel pretty sore again."

"Right. Be back in a minute."

Jason was as good as his word, and returned to the cabin's main room to find Tommy stretched out face-down on the mattress, face turned towards him. He sat on the edge of the mattress, finding it pleasantly firm and comfortable, and picked up the cream. He unscrewed the lid and sniffed once more at the content. "Ready?"

"Uh huh. How'd you want me?"

_-Any way I can get you, Bro,- _Jason thought, but didn't say it. Their somewhat primitive surroundings weren't exactly conducive to making love, and besides – when they'd accepted David's invitation, they had more or less taken for granted that this weekend would remain … _-What? Innocent? Celibate? Whatever you call not getting any. Damn.- _ Regretfully resigning himself to the inevitable, Jason briefly considered how best to give his friend the promised massage.

"I think you're okay the way you are right now. How about I straddle your legs just below your butt? That way, I'll have the best access, can start at your shoulders and work my way down to your legs," he suggested at last.

"'Kay." Tommy lay his forehead on his arms and waited until Jason was in position. "I just hope that stuff isn't cold," he murmured.

"Wait and see." Scooping up a generous portion of the cream, Jason rubbed it onto his palms. Knowing how disagreeable it was to be massaged with cold hands, he had taken care to warm his under the tap, and to his surprise the ointment took on the same temperature almost immediately. "I think you're gonna like this, Bro," he smiled, placed both hands at the base of Tommy's neck and began kneading the firm muscles with long, careful strokes.

Tommy winced and groaned a few times when Jason encountered knotted tissue, but soon began to relax under the skillful touch. He could feel his tensions ebb away as Jason's thumbs worked up and down his spine, smoothed more cream into his sides and eased the kinks in his shoulders and arms.

"Mmm," he purred.

Jason chuckled. "Feel good?"

"Terrific," Tommy murmured, rocking gently along with Jason's back-and-forth movements. Soon, his world narrowed down to a soft island of rose-colored warmth as he began to feel drowsy under the gentle yet firm massage. Even the necessary interruptions when Jason scooped more cream out of the jar didn't disrupt his contentment, and Tommy let his mind go pleasantly blank as he just went with the flow.

For his part, Jason was enjoying the massage almost as much as Tommy; he loved touching him and being able to explore every dip and curve of that lean, strong back without distraction was worth working up a light sweat. When he reached the narrow waist, though, he found himself momentarily stopped by the tight waistband of Tommy's briefs. Thinking that it would be best to do all of Tommy's back, he didn't hesitate long, slipped his fingers inside the elastic and gently pulled the fabric down. Obligingly, Tommy just lifted his hips to help without commenting, and Jason continued his massage on the firm buttocks.

Tommy moaned.

Intent only on relieving Tommy's soreness and preoccupied with the differences in texture of his skin due to the light sprinkling of hair on the tight globes, it took Jason a moment to realize that the soft sound had gone directly into his groin. He caught his breath and almost stopped, but as Tommy was silent once more, he decided his imagination had been playing a trick on him. Helping himself to more cream, he scooted a little further down so he could reach Tommy's thighs. There, he encountered more cramped tissue and rubbed harder, working the long muscles with firm strokes until they relaxed. Tommy was groaning again as he did so, and Jason convinced himself that he'd indeed been imagining things. Once he reached the back of Tommy's knees, he found that he'd miscalculated the amount of cream he needed – his hands were still pretty much coated with the smooth, silky stuff.

_-Now what? Get up and wash?- _It seemed the logical thing to do, but it'd be a shame to just rinse off the spice-scented cream and waste it. _-Oh, what the hell. I'll just rub it onto Tommy; it won't do him harm, and I don't think he'll mind the extra attention.- _ So Jason started upwards again, bypassing the still-glistening thighs to settle on Tommy's back once more. But it seemed that the cream had pretty much saturated his skin; it wouldn't absorb as easily as before.

_-Well, there's more of Tommy than his back.- _Shrugging inwardly, Jason began to stroke Tommy's sides, being careful not to tickle. Thankfully, Tommy was moving right with him, turning slightly – and apparently more easily and without discomfort – into the massage.

Maybe it was intentional, or maybe it was an accident; later, Jason could never tell. But on one of his downward strokes, his fingertips accidentally grazed a nipple. This time, Tommy _definitely_ moaned, and it was _not _a sound of relief from pain. Jason froze where he was. Then Tommy shifted minutely, Jason's fingers inadvertently came to rest directly against the sensitive brown nub … and felt it harden instantly.

**---**

Tommy was floating on a sea of sensation.

At first, he had been unable to suppress several winces and groans; Jason had unerringly found the most sore spots on his shoulders and back, and done his best to loosen them with deep, firm strokes and hard kneading of the tensed-up muscle groups. While he knew that he'd be grateful for the effort afterwards, right now it just added to his discomfort.

_-Hell, who am I kidding? The massage may be good for me, but shit, it hurts!- _

Soon, though, the increased circulation of blood under Jason's skilled hands helped as much as the rubdown itself. As sinews and muscles lost their tension and Tommy felt himself warm up, the pain lessened gradually and he found that he was beginning to enjoy the experience. This was by no means the first time that Jason was helping him out after some strenuous exercise, and he'd performed the same service to his best friend on countless occasions. Really, it had started as far back as high school, when they were both fighting as Rangers on an almost daily basis … and from there it had easily spilled over to times when either or both were competing in karate competitions.

The only difference being, they'd never given each other massages on a bed before. Nor had Jason ever sat on his legs like he was doing now outside of a fight or sparring session – but for once Tommy did not feel pinned down. However, he was becoming very much aware that they were nearly naked.

That train of thought derailed when Tommy had to hiss sharply as Jason hit a particularly tense spot on his lower back and dug both thumbs deeply into the tissue surrounding his spine. Once the knot dissolved, though, and Jason's hands returned to his shoulders, Tommy groaned softly in relief.

"Feel good?" Jason asked, fond amusement in his voice as he slathered more cream on the lean back.

"Terrific," Tommy replied and relaxed even more, knowing that he was – quite literally – in good hands. Unconsciously, he began to move along with the long, even strokes, shifting as the varying pressure demanded. His world narrowed down to the room, to the bed … to the circle of rose-colored light bathing them. The warm weight of Jason's legs gripping his own and the wonderful sensations his hands were producing on his skin lulled him into a state of almost insensate bliss, and Tommy never once thought to protest when Jason gently removed his briefs and extended the massage to his ass and thighs. In fact, it felt so good that Tommy couldn't swallow a pleased moan.

He thought he heard Jason gasp, but when there was no interruption in the even movement of the strong hands and no other sound was forthcoming, Tommy decided he must've been mistaken and concentrated once more on the lessening of pain as Jason began to work his legs down to the knees. It hurt a little to have the soreness kneaded out and Tommy groaned a few times until even the last bit of tension was gone and he felt like he would melt into the mattress. He fully expected Jason to stop once he was completely relaxed, but he never let up – and before Tommy could tell him he'd done his job, Jason started to massage upwards again.

Now the strokes were less firm, less purposeful, but Tommy didn't mind. It felt wonderful to be so cared for, to know that his lover went the extra mile to make him feel better, so he moved easily along, shifting and turning without any discomfort. Tommy smiled into his folded arms as Jason slid his fingers over his sides; he wasn't half as ticklish as Jason, but it sure was good to see that he was taking care not to disturb the mellow mood that enveloped them.

Tommy rotated his shoulders slightly, inadvertently lifting his chest on one side by that motion. He felt Jason's hand slip towards his chest, thinking nothing of it, but when a fingertip grazed his nipple, Tommy experienced a spark of electricity arcing from the circle of extra-sensitive skin directly into his groin. He moaned in surprise and delight at the innocent stimulation.

Above him, Jason went utterly still.

Instinctively, Tommy lowered his upper torso back onto the mattress, trapping Jason's hand … and felt _both _his nipples swelling and harden at his lover's touch. Not only that, another portion of his anatomy did the same – and he was unable to suppress a moan of sheer pleasure. This time, Tommy was _sure_ Jason heard him.

**---**

Tommy moaned again, louder this time.

_-That's … that's pleasure,- _Jason realized. _-He's really enjoying this, is he?- _

So did he. Now that he was listening to his own body, Jason found that all unknowingly he'd grown hard – that he was, in fact, straining against the confines of his briefs. He shivered, gradually becoming aware of the possibilities.

_-Is this it? The right time, moment and place?- _He hadn't thought so earlier, but now, somehow, things seemed to have changed between one heartbeat and the next.They were both in bed, Tommy was already naked, lying in a near-perfect position to be taken … and he had everything they needed literally right at hand. The cream possibly wasn't an _ideal_ substitute for a commercial lubricant, but as it had neither a cooling nor a warming effect, just aided the smooth gliding of skin on skin, it might well do.

_-Here goes nothing …-_

Hardly daring to breathe, Jason let his desire overrule his mind and leaned forward for another pass along his lover's back. This time, he deliberately reached further around Tommy's chest, intentionally seeking his nipples. Tommy turned his head sideways on his arms and produced a sound deep in his throat that never failed to make Jason's pulse skyrocket. He leaned forward to kiss the nape of Tommy's neck and saw a slow smile form around his mouth even though his eyes remained closed.

Fighting down a sudden panic attack, Jason unsteadily scooped up more cream and returned to his massage, but now his strokes were more languorous and gentle, meant to entice rather than relax. He followed his hands with his lips down Tommy's spine, giving tiny, teasing kisses and licks until he reached the swell of the round buttocks. The shadowed cleft between them proved to be an irresistible lure, and Jason gently probed deeper with one finger. He encountered no resistance, just a deep sigh as he reached his target and touched the entrance to the hot channel.

"Tommy?" he whispered, a wealth of questions in the two simple syllables.

_'Do you mind? Is this okay with you? Am I hurting you? Do you want me to go on … or stop?'_

Jason got his answer when Tommy arched towards him and murmured his soft reply.

"Yes."

They'd waited too long for this moment, and suddenly Jason was fully erect and aching to go, his whole body throbbing with need. Unable to hold back anymore, he started to prepare Tommy as gently as he'd done his back, and soon could feel the tight ring of muscle relax.

Tommy gasped as a sizzling bolt of arousal at the gentle invasion suffused his whole lower body. "God, Jase …!"

"Turn over," Jason rasped huskily, eager to touch Tommy up front as well. As he'd hoped, he found him already pulsing and hard when Tommy complied, and he proceeded to drive his lover deeper into passion.

Tommy endured the stimulation as long as he could without actively participating, but soon he wanted – no, _needed_ to know that Jason was as excited as he. He reached for his lover, only to encounter briefs stretched to the bursting point.

"Take 'em off, Jase," he moaned. "I have to touch you!"

"You do it, or I'll have to stop …"

"No!" Reluctantly dragging his eyes open, Tommy fumbled clumsily to push the fabric down Jason's hips. He wouldn't have succeeded if his partner had been any less nimble and athletic, but somehow they managed to get Jason naked without him having to let go completely. Tommy drew Jason towards him so that they lay head-to-foot and closed his lips unhesitatingly around the engorged length. Jason did the same to him, making Tommy moan deep in his throat. Within minutes, both men were simmering on the brink of orgasm.

Jason was tempted nearly beyond endurance to let nature take its course, but he could feel that his lover was ready for more. His fingers were sliding easily back and forth, there was no pain, no resistance … and he couldn't wait a second longer. Regretfully, he let go of Tommy and touched his hair to make him stop his own ministrations.

"Gotta have you now, Bro," he panted. "Okay?"

"Mmm."

Tommy released him deliciously, torturously slowly and looked at Jason with burning eyes. "Do it, then," he half-pleaded, half-commanded.

"Yeah."

Shivering with need and desire, Jason knelt up and moved between Tommy's thighs. He reached for the jar of cream, only to find it already in his lover's hands. Tommy scooped up a generous dollop and spread it all over Jason's erection. Their eyes held as Jason pulled the narrow hips onto his lap, but when Tommy spread and lifted his thighs, he suddenly winced and grimaced.

"Damn," he groaned. "I can't – I'm still too sore!"

For an instant, frustration at being thwarted _again_ threatened to overwhelm Jason, but his mind, sharpened by desire, hit upon a solution right away. He let Tommy's legs sink back to the mattress, moved to his side and leaned forward to plunge his tongue between the panting lips.

"No problem," he murmured with a sensuous smile when they were both breathless and Tommy's mouth was swollen from his kisses. "Turn back over."

Tommy smiled back even as he began to comply. He would've liked to see Jason's face, but the likely discomfort of being face-to-face wasn't worth marring their first time. There would be other opportunities when he was fully fit again – besides, he could always take Jason from the front when it was his turn to be on top. Quickly, Tommy settled onto his stomach once more and waited for Jason's next move.

He didn't have to wait long. Jason eased into position between his legs from behind and lifted him up. As he applied some more cream, he bent forward and kissed Tommy's spine.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Jason spread him open with one hand and used the other to steady himself. Hesitating for just a second, he then drew a deep, shuddering breath and slowly pressed forward. To his relief, Tommy was relaxed enough that there was barely any resistance, and within a few heartbeats Jason had his fondest, most secret wish fulfilled.

"Oh shit, Tommy," he groaned, fighting the need to snap his hips forward and slide in all the way. "I'm in …"

Tommy shuddered, incapable of words. There was no pain, just a burning sensation that sent ripples of desire all through his gut. That soon gave way to a rather pleasant fullness, and he suddenly wanted nothing more than have Jason inside of him all the way. Right now, all he could sense was a hint, a promise of more, and he desperately longed for some friction … right … _there_.

"Aah," he moaned as Jason ventured a first, shallow stroke. It soon morphed into a hiss of desire as the pace quickened. "Yessssssss!"

"Oh man," Jason groaned, trying desperately to keep his pace slow and easy and avoid hurting Tommy. "You're so incredibly tight …"

At last, Jason knew he was buried to the hilt. He paused momentarily to catch his breath and to steady his position. Shifting slightly on the bed, he braced his knees and took a firmer hold of Tommy's hips. Then, he bent forward to kiss the nape of his neck.

Jason's breath was hot and moist against his skin, and Tommy started to tremble in anticipation as the deep voice whispered huskily into his ear.

"Hang on, Bro. I'm gonna give you a ride you won't forget."

The words were crude and to the point, but the emotions behind them were clear as day.

_-Lust. Pleasure. Love.-_

"Yes."

It was all the permission Jason needed. With that one word, heralding the total relaxation of his body, Tommy's surrender was complete, and Jason accepted it gratefully. Letting his mind grow hazy with need and passion, he began to rock gently back and forth along with his lover. Then he gradually picked up speed, thrusting harder and faster as they both became accustomed to the sensations.

Nothing else existed but the two of them, cocooned in an island of gently glowing light as they swayed together in a primal dance as old as time. Jason may have been the one on top, seemingly in control, but somehow they were both taker and taken as Tommy's willing, joyful giving of his body was essential to this, their ultimate union.

Tommy reveled in the passionate loving, reaching for himself when his own body's demand for stimulation got overwhelming. He moved in sync with Jason's thrusts, meeting each forward plunge with a backward push of his hips, intensifying every sensation to the point that blocked out any discomfort from his still-sore muscles. All too soon, Jason climaxed with a cry of pure lust. The sound sent Tommy into his own frenzy. His fingers flew faster and harder, but he only tumbled over the edge into orgasm when Jason's fingers reached around and joined his hand to Tommy's.

Tommy's shout of release was muffled by the pillow, and both men collapsed in a quivering, sweating heap as the last aftershocks slowly subsided. Tommy had to smile through his exhausted gasps. Jason was probably not even aware that he was doing it, but he was completely ignoring the evidence of Tommy's orgasm as he continued to fondle him gently.

"Are you okay?" Jason's voice was a deep, soft rumble against Tommy's ear.

"Mmm, yeah," Tommy answered, feeling pleasantly exhausted. "A bit sore in some spots I wouldn't care to explain to a doctor, but nothing to worry about."

"I'm sorry." Jason kissed his neck.

"Don't be. It's only natural – and I had a lot more fun collecting _that _sore spot than the others." Tommy let his smile show in his voice and lifted Jason's hand from his groin to brush his lips against the back. Then, he carefully placed it back to where it had been.

"I guess, but tell me if you find something wrong later, okay?"

"Will do. Love ya."

"Love you too, Tom."

They rested for a while, cuddling contentedly in the afterglow until Jason found the strength to withdraw at last. He rolled away from Tommy's back and waited until he'd turned towards him, then leaned forward to claim a slow, thorough kiss. Tommy responded gladly; the warm tongue tangling with his own made the sudden emptiness in his lower body seem more bearable. But he was surprised when the kiss ended and Jason got out of bed without a word, just a small smile, and disappeared into the bathroom. He was back in an instant, though, carrying a warm, damp towel with which he cleaned both of them. Finally done, Jason dropped the towel to the floor and lay down next to his lover. He reached out and touched Tommy's cheek.

"That was … incredible," he murmured. "Thank you."

"Uh huh. I, um, kinda enjoyed it myself. But … why thank me?" Tommy wondered, teasing forgotten.

"For giving me your body," Jason replied seriously. "For trusting me not to hurt you – and for loving me enough to let me share this with you, I guess."

Tommy covered Jason's hand with his own. "I've already given you my heart," he replied softly. "As you've given me yours. How could I _not_ trust you with everything else? Besides," he added, a teasing glint suddenly reappearing in his eyes, "I expect the same in return soon."

"You've got it, Tom," Jason vowed, feeling his spent cock twitch with interest despite knowing they were both too tired to follow through. "Whenever and wherever you want, in whatever way."

Tommy just _had _to kiss him for that. "Oh, face-to-face will do," he said oh-so-innocently. "Or on your knees, sitting up, lying down … over the kitchen table, on the couch, in the shower … tomorrow, next week, each holiday …"

"And with a partridge in a pear tree, too, I bet," Jason chuckled, all of a sudden feeling giddy with delight. "You dare to call _me _a sex fiend?"

Tommy just shrugged. "I can't help it if I want you always – and in all ways."

Jason felt his breath hitch. Swallowing down the lump forming in his throat as his imagination went into overdrive, he cleared his throat. "Okaaaaay … how about we simply start in my bed tomorrow when you pick up your car at my place? We can always try more, um, interesting places another time."

Tommy pretended to seriously ponder the suggestion. "That'll work," he said judiciously, then grinned and hauled Jason into his arms with a sudden burst of energy. "Guess we finally got it right, huh?"

"Yeah," Jason laughed, reached for the blanket, drew it over both of them and settled his head comfortably on a convenient shoulder. He yawned, realizing that sleep was just lurking around the corner. "About time, too!"

"Uh huh. Who'd've thunk that we'd make it after a cattle drive, with me all sore, in a chintzy log cabin and with pink light?" Tommy mock-grumbled. "After all the preparation and stuff we did, too!"

"Told you we shouldn't make any more plans," Jason said smugly. "Hooray for spontaneity!"

"If you start cheering, I may have to kill you, sore back or not," Tommy threatened, but tightened his arms around Jason anyway. He listened to his even breaths, feeling the broad chest rise and fall against his side and pressed a kiss into the short dark hair.

"Guess I can thank that horse for bucking me off after all," he murmured around a yawn. "If you hadn't had to give me that massage …"

Jason laughed soundlessly and gripped Tommy's hands, holding them tightly together. "If I'd known beforehand what that massage was gonna lead to and how great it'd be to make love with you at last …" he trailed off.

Too tired and relaxed to realize he was being set up for a typical Jason-the-smartass comment, Tommy obligingly asked "Yes?"

"If I'd known all that – I'd have thrown you off a horse much sooner!"

_To Be Continued …_


	10. Happy Holidays

_**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no money made._

_**Note: **Based on the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge – theme #12, 'losing control'. _

_**Note II: **On December 23rdI got in the mood for some seasonal fluff (hence why it's a little late; I'd started writing the theme differently, but the characters were giving me trouble in it and this flowed more easily) that'll give you a flashback to an earlier part of the series. There may (or may not, I don't know yet!) other holiday-themed scenes or chapters which will be labeled accordingly if and when it happens. According to the series chronology, the flashback fits after chapter 7, 'Chilled And Ready ' and references chapter 2, 'Sexy Beast'.  Hope you had indeed Happy Holidays, everyone, and all the best for 2007. May all your wishes and dreams come true! Feedback, as always, is appreciated. **December 2006 **_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Ch. 09: Happy Holidays**

Tommy sighed in relief as he closed the door of his bedroom behind himself, kind of glad that the holidays were over for another year. It wasn't that he didn't love Christmas season; quite the contrary. He liked giving and receiving gifts and spending time with his family, but the longer he lived on his own, the harder it got to sit through the big bash his mother threw each year for friends, family and neighbors. He found watching football with the men boring, he was getting tired of every female over thirty trying to fix him up with yet another 'nice girl' they just happened to know – and most of all he resented not being able to share the holiday openly with Jason.

True, ever since the first year they'd become lovers they'd planned time together around family activities at Christmas, but having to hide the fact that he'd found the person he was increasingly sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with – and that it was another man instead of a woman – got harder the longer it lasted. What was more, he knew Jason was feeling the same way. Something would have to be done about the situation, and soon.

_-Maybe this year.- _

It would mean making the final commitment to each other … and more importantly, coming out to their friends and family. A scary thought in a lot of ways, as he had no idea how everybody might react. Tommy _hoped _people would want them to be happy. If not … well, they'd cross that bridge together if and when they came to it. But the prospect seemed less insurmountable the longer they were together, the closer they grew.

_-We're gonna need to have a serious talk about this soon,- _Tommy decided as he prepared for bed. A quick shower sluiced away some of the tension a day spent first on the road from Angel Grove to Reefside, then at his desk had caused, and he felt considerably better as he slipped on a pair of pyjama bottoms and padded back to the kitchen once more for a nightcap. Once he'd returned to his sanctum, Tommy lay on the bed, placed the glass on his nightstand and was about to reach for a book when his hand brushed against a fold-up picture frame lying next to the lamp. Tommy hesitated for a second, then picked it up to look at the photograph. Like he'd done so often in the past, he studied the familiar image of his best friend and lover.

"I miss you, Jase," he murmured to himself. They'd made arrangements to go skiing over New Year's Eve, but that was still a couple of days ahead … and in the meantime, he was feeling rather lonely in his empty house.

_-And horny. Man, I really wish you were here right now, Bro.- _

The glass covering the picture in his hand glinted in the light, and a slow smile was forming around Tommy's mouth as he caught sight of the time. It was barely eleven o'clock – not all _that_ late, and there was a definite chance Jason might call him tonight. And if he didn't, Tommy decided to make the call himself; after all, the habit of engaging in some very _special _nighttime phone conversations had been started when Jason had given him the picture.

His smile widened as he remembered.

---

**_Christmas Eve, 2005 _**

Jason took one last look around his apartment and decided that, yes, he was ready – as much as he ever would be. It really was ridiculous how nervous he felt over Tommy visiting him; after all, it wasn't the first time his best friend had come to his place, nor the first time they'd be exchanging presents. However, it _was _the first time they'd be doing the latter as lovers.

It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and as they'd both be spending the holidays with their families, both men had agreed to meet in private before going to their respective homes. Because of that, Jason had actually bothered to decorate his place for once.

A small live tree stood in a large, dark-pewter glazed pot in one corner, hung with blinking white fairy lights, red baubles and a gold garland. Only as he'd surveyed the tree once he was finished did it occur to Jason that he'd incorporated all of their combined Ranger colors, and he had to smile. Several fat candles were arranged on the coffee table, with more evergreens and red ribbon, and he'd borrowed a handmade wreath from his mother to hang on the door. A small ceramic oil lamp was on the window sill, and as soon as Jason lit the tea light, the scent of vanilla and spices mingled with the aroma coming from the large bowl of apples, nuts and oranges next to it. The platter of finger food he'd bought at a local deli was waiting in the kitchen, the table was set with the Chinese tea set Trini had given him a few years ago for his birthday, and the scones, homemade jam (both courtesy of his mother's kitchen) and cream looked positively scrumptious.

Jason resisted the urge to fidget; he'd prepared everything as best he could, and he only hoped that Tommy wouldn't think it too overly sentimental. Sighing, he glanced at his watch. Too late to change anything now, and it was almost time for Tommy to arrive anyway.

_-Unless he's gonna be late – again,- _he grinned to himself. _-Although to be honest, it might not be his fault; we couldn't predict how intense the holiday traffic was gonna be.- _

He needn't have worried; no sooner had he finished the thought, he could hear the sound of a car drawing up to his house. A quick peek out the window confirmed that it was indeed Tommy's black jeep parked under the street light opposite, and Jason could feel his pulse quicken. They wouldn't have the time to be intimate today, but nonetheless he was looking forward to spending a couple of quiet hours with the man he loved.

The door bell rang and Jason pressed the buzzer to let Tommy in, but had to wait as his landlady intercepted him at the foot of the stairs. He could hear Tommy exchange a few friendly words with Mrs. Keppel and took the time to check himself in the hallway mirror one last time. Jason had chosen to wear black slacks with a deep burgundy cashmere sweater, the collar of the white shirt he wore underneath providing an attractive contrast to his tanned skin and dark hair. Feeling a little embarrassed about his small surge of vanity, Jason hoped the overall effect would meet Tommy's approval.

Because he definitely liked the way his lover looked as he finally bounded up the stairs, dressed in a charcoal suit and dark-grey shirt. The only splash of color was the silk tie knotted casually around Tommy's neck.

"Hi," Jason said huskily as he let Tommy into his apartment and closed the door behind him.

"Hi yourself," Tommy murmured back, dropped the small parcel he'd been carrying onto the hallway shelf and drew Jason into a warm hug. "Mmm."

Laughing softly, Jason returned the embrace before nudging Tommy into a gentle yet thorough kiss. When it ended, he slowly opened his eyes … and caught his first good look at Tommy's tie. Broad stripes of red and black were dotted with tiny, snow-covered fir trees. Jason had to chuckle and gave the silken length a teasing tug. "A Christmas tie? Very seasonal – _and _featuring all your Technicolor glory," he murmured with a smile.

Amused, Tommy grinned back and shrugged out of his jacket. "Blame Karen, David's fiancée. She gave all the men in the family themed ties last year. I'm just glad I escaped the one with the huge Santa-hatted snowman, or the one with the snowboarding reindeer."

Jason laughed and slipped one arm around his lover's shoulder, guiding him into the living room. "Really? How the hell did you keep a straight face when you unwrapped 'em?"

"By reminding myself that my brother is a Black Belt too and on a good day can kick my ass from here into tomorrow," Tommy replied dryly. "Especially when someone insults Karen."

"Uh, good reason."

"Yeah, that's what Dad and Uncle John figured as well. Mom and her sister nearly choked trying not to laugh, though."

The two men settled on the old futon serving as Jason's couch. With a contented sigh, Tommy leaned back. "Man, I'm glad the drive is over. There was some pretty heavy snow in the mountains, and I was afraid I'd have to put chains on the tires. Thankfully, it was only a 20-mile stretch or so."

"Your own fault for moving so far away," Jason said idly, but couldn't help the sad undertone in his voice. He missed Tommy; missed having his best friend around to talk to, to hang out with … and the feeling had only gotten worse now that they'd become lovers.

"It's where my job is," Tommy shrugged. "It's not as if I had much choice in the matter."

"I know. I got lucky that Angel Grove High was hiring right when I started looking for a job. Still … I just wish sometimes that Reefside were closer to here so we could see each other more," Jason confessed.

Tommy laid a comforting hand on the broad shoulder. "Yeah. I miss you too, Bro," he murmured. "Now more than ever." Dark eyes met his, and he smiled. "But at least we now have a reason to make the trip as often as possible, right?"

"Uh huh." Needing a little more tangible reassurance, Jason leaned forward to kiss Tommy. The warm lips opened readily for his tongue, and both men lost themselves in the gentle exchange. They kissed for a long while, letting their bodies touch and their hands roam where they would, but carefully skirted the edge of passion. As Tommy would have to leave soon, it wouldn't do to get carried away too far, no matter how much they might want to. And for some unspoken reason, neither was in the mood for a quickie.

The moment ended when Tommy's stomach growled, and Jason broke their kiss with an amused chuckle.

"When did you turn into Rocky?" he laughed. "He's the one with the bottomless pit for a stomach!"

"Hey, it's been a long drive, and the snow delayed me enough; I didn't want to stop for burgers," Tommy explained with a rueful grin. "I haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Good thing I can feed you then, isn't it?" Jason smiled and got up. Holding out a hand, he waited until Tommy stood as well. "Come on."

"Thanks. Just a bite or two, though," Tommy said. "Mom'll kill me if I don't do justice to her dinner."

"Don't worry, it's just tea and cookies," Jason replied. "We're just having cold stuff and salads after church, but I wouldn't want to miss that, either."

"Sounds just about perfect. Anything I can do to help?"

"Not really; it'll only take a minute or so until everything's done. Why don't you put on some music, though?"

"Sure."

Tommy wandered over to the stereo and riffled through his friend's CD collection as Jason vanished into the kitchen and set water to boiling. Soon, the tea was steeping and he carried the pot to the dining table, lighting the candle in the warmer. Tommy had chosen a collection of contemporary Christmas songs, and the upbeat yet mellow tunes filled the room.

"All done," Jason said and pulled out his chair. "You ready, Bro?"

"For your mother's cookies? Always," Tommy grinned and joined him. "I don't suppose you baked these yourself?"

Jason laughed as he slid two scones on his plate and handed the rest to his lover. "I wish. Nah, I can cook basic stuff alright, Mom made sure of that, but baking is way out of my league. Don't tell me you can do better!"

"Not cookies or fancy cakes, but I do a mean banana bread," Tommy boasted, helping himself.

"Yeah, right."

"Want me to prove it to you?"

Somehow, the idea of Tommy being so domestic just for him sent a feeling of warmth into Jason's stomach. "I'd like that," he said softly.

"Next time you come over, then," Tommy promised and bit into his first scone with gusto, barely avoiding to dribble jam on his tie. "Mmm, this is great," he mumbled through his mouthful.

"Yeah. It's even better with clotted cream, but I haven't seen any of that outside of England."

"So Kat used to tell me when she was still in London. Personally, I think it _sounds _kind of disgusting. Like cream gone bad?"

"Nope, it's just really firm and sweet. Incredibly tasty … fattening, though," Jason grinned. "But let's not think of all the extra exercise we're gonna need after the holidays, okay?"

Tommy pulled a face and groaned comically. "Like every year, you mean? Sure."

---

Leisurely, they finished their simple meal, conversing quietly yet animatedly about the things that had happened since they'd last seen each other. When they were done, they carried their plates into the kitchen and returned to the living area with a small brandy each. Tommy made a slight detour into the hallway to pick up the present he'd brought for Jason. As he sank back down onto the couch, he noticed that Jason, too, had a wrapped gift ready for him.

"Merry Christmas, Bro," Tommy murmured, handing over his gift.

"Thanks." Curiously, Jason untied the ribbon and lifted the lid off the small cardboard box. Inside, he found a black leather wallet with careful hand-tooling.

"So you noticed that my old wallet is on its last legs, huh?" he smiled and picked it up to admire the design. It showed a fierce mountain lion's head surrounded by leafy vines. "Hey, are those my initials?" Indeed, the letters JLS had been cunningly worked into it.

"They are," Tommy confirmed. "A friend of David's does work like this, and I asked him to personalize it."

"It's beautiful – and incredibly well made; almost too good to carry every day. But I will!" Jason examined the wallet more closely. "Why a lion's head, though?"

"Well … I thought of a dragon first – you know, to represent your Dragon Thunderzord, and because I know you like dragons and what they represent in the various cultures, but … somehow it didn't quite feel right. Then, I was still talking it over with Dave's friend, Sam happened to come in and mentioned that he always thought you had a lion's spirit – and things just seemed to click. So I went with that."

"Wow." Blushing with pleasure, Jason ran his thumb over the smooth leather. There was a small bump, and he opened the coin pouch. Inside, he found a plain key. Puzzled, he held it up. "What's that for?"

Now it was Tommy's turn to blush. _-I hope I'm not presuming too much …- _"It's a spare key to my house," he said softly. "I want you to be able to come inside – to me – whenever you want. Because you'll always be welcome."

Jason had to swallow hard to lose the lump suddenly forming in his throat. "I … I don't know what to say, Bro," he murmured huskily. The amount of trust and love Tommy was showing him through such a plain item nearly took his breath away.

"How about just 'thanks'?" Tommy asked with a slight smile. He could see that Jason was more than pleased by his gift.

"That hardly seems enough …"

"Trust me, it is."

"In that case … thank you." Jason leaned over and kissed him, letting his lips say silently what he couldn't express in words. Afterwards, he nearly hesitated to reach for his own gift to Tommy. Compared to what he'd just received, it seemed rather inadequate. But as he had nothing else … "This is for you," Jason said, somewhat needlessly. "It's nothing great, really, just … here. Merry Christmas." He almost thrust the brightly-wrapped parcel at his friend.

"Hey, it's not about worth or anything," Tommy reassured him. "As long as you like _your_ present, that's perfectly fine. And I'm sure I'll like mine just as much."

"I hope so," Jason mumbled. Then, louder, "So open it."

"I think I should be the one being impatient, not you," Tommy laughed, but he had a hard time refraining from tearing the wrapping paper from the flat rectangle. When he unfolded the flaps, he could see the back of what was obviously a picture frame ... turned it over and gasped.

The plain frame consisted of inch-wide slats of black-stained wood and had a gilt ornament set with several golden amber beads in one corner. It looked classy and elegant, but it was the picture it held that instantly captivated Tommy's attention. He found himself staring at an 8x10" photograph of Jason pressed against a rare white tiger. It had obviously been taken against the very background of the calendar picture he'd drooled over several years ago – the one that had first made him fantasize sexually about his best friend. The only differences, aside from the fact that here Jason was with a tiger instead of a lion, were color film having been used instead of black-and-white … and that Jason's loincloth was missing.

He was, in fact, completely nude.

Only a shadow fortuitously cast by the tiger's head concealed the most salient part of the muscular body. If one added the contrast of Jason's tanned skin with the white fur, the sultry look he was directing at the camera and the lush jungle-like backdrop, the visual impact was, in one word, stunning.

Tommy felt his control wavering as a shiver started deep within himself and his body tightened. If the calendar picture had said sensuality, _this _one screamed pure lust.

"Aw, man," he breathed. "That's ... wow. Where'd you get that?"

"From my old fraternity," Jason explained, reassured by Tommy's obvious fascination. "Actually, the one you already saw was part of a whole series. You, ah, seemed to like it, so I contacted the calendar's editors about the rest. We all were photographed in several poses, and sometimes with different animals – like me. The editors just thought this one was too, um, risqué."

"More like too hot," Tommy murmured, trying not to squirm with sudden desire. "I'll have to put it into my bedroom; no way am I letting anyone else see this!"

_That _was an idea that made Jason's palms begin to sweat. If Tommy had felt the urge to masturbate over the first, far more innocuous picture of him in a loincloth and just looking at a lion, what was he going to do with this one – a photo that showed him naked and entangled with what used to be Tommy's signature animal? Especially now that he need no longer feel guilty about fantasizing … or do more than just that?

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." Tommy looked up from the picture with barely-checked fire in his eyes, then reached out and drew Jason into a hard, passionate kiss. His hand dropped to Jason's lap and pressed against the ridge he could feel hardening under his palm.

Moaning into Tommy's mouth, his tongue dueling with its counterpart, Jason told restraint and caution to take a hike and reciprocated, squeezing the throbbing column he found straining inside his lover's pants. Instinctively, Tommy bucked into the now-familiar touch. Both men shifted until they were fully in each other's arms. Their hips ground against each other as they quickly lost themselves in a frenzy of hot, wet kisses, tantalizing hands and sensual caresses. Only the muted click of the stereo shutting off, the distant ringing of church bells and a slammed car door on the street outside combined succeeded in breaking the lustful daze clouding their minds.

"Jase, no," Tommy groaned when Jason's lips slid away from his mouth and he began to lick and nip his way down his throat. Knowing that he couldn't just put all responsibility for their sudden lack of control at his partner's feet, he reluctantly removed his hand from Jason's groin and pushed against the broad chest. "We gotta stop," he panted, fighting to let sanity make a comeback.

Midnight-dark eyes opened, smoky with heat. "Why?" Jason murmured. "Do you know I was thinking about _you_ all during the photo shoot? I really wanted to be lying naked against _your _back, your skin against mine, when I was straddling that tiger. And when I was posing with the lion, I wanted to be on my knees before _you_, and I so wanted you in my mouth … like I want you now."

The lusty rumble in the deep voice made Tommy tremble with need. The temptation to give in, to forget everything but the two of them together, to make love _now_,was nigh irresistible. How he ever managed to do it anyway, Tommy never knew. His own voice was unsteady as he regretfully shook his head and gently disentangled himself from his best friend's arms.

"We really can't, Jase," he sighed. "God knows I want you, but I've _got _to leave in a few minutes, and you know your folks are expecting you soon as well."

Jason fell back against the futon's back rest with a muffled curse and wiped shaky fingers across his forehead. "Shit," he grumbled. "I swore I wasn't going to do that, but …"

"Do what?"

"Start what we just did," Jason said, sending a wry, self-deprecating look at his best friend. "Sorry. But when I started imagining what you might be doing with my picture in your bedroom, I kinda lost it."

He wasn't too far from the truth, either, although Tommy would rather die than admit it. "Who says I'm gonna do _anything_?" he blustered, only to get a knowing smirk in return.

"Aren't you?"

"Is that why you gave me the picture?" Tommy asked, suddenly suspicious. "You _want _me to jerk off over it?" He had the satisfaction of seeing Jason blush, but he never looked away as he nodded once slowly.

"No way!"

Jason shrugged and smiled wryly. "Why wouldn't you? Tom, we're living apart from each other for weeks on end sometimes. That totally sucks, but except for visiting back and forth on weekends and holidays there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just have to live with it. Do you honestly _want_ to be celibate all that time? I know I don't – and now I have reality, not just a fantasy to dream about when all I have for company and relief is my good right hand. I remember things you do to me, and what I've been doing to you whenever I'm going solo. I can recall the smell of your skin, how you taste and feel ... I also know how fantastic your hands and mouth feels on _me _… and that's an incredible turn-on. Is it really so different for you?"

"Um, no," Tommy admitted a little sheepishly, realizing that one part of his mind was already starting to plot when, where and how he would make use of the steamy images provoked by the sensual photographs. He briefly wondered if he should tell Jason that he'd ordered the calendar's reprint the next year just so he could get a legitimate copy of the first picture, but decided against it; no need to provide Jason with even better ammunition to confirm his assumptions.

"Didn't think so," Jason nodded, giving his lover's shoulder a brief squeeze. "So why does it surprise you that it's incredibly hot for me to fantasize about you touching yourself? I even hope that one day you'll let me watch – and until then, if giving you a picture of me in the buff helps you get off, that's fine by me."

Tommy found himself getting hot under the collar as he pictured pleasuring himself in front of Jason. _-Aw, man, he's right – that is a real turn-on!- _He gulped. "Maybe you should've given me a real nudie, then," he quipped to cover his reaction. "Full frontal, and everything!"

"If I'd had one, I would've," Jason replied, his eyes glittering. "Maybe you'd like to snap a few pictures like that one of these days …?"

"Of you performing for me?" Tommy asked before he could check himself – and nearly lost control all over again at the mere idea. He instinctively pictured himself watching from a distance as the strong hands would touch every erogenous zone. Tommy felt his fingers twitch sympathetically and his own body react. He couldn't say if he'd be able to sit back and do nothing – but he also was unsure whether he'd just take over and devour his lover himself or copy every move, making Jason watch _him _simultaneously. He barely swallowed a needy moan.

Impossibly, Jason's eyes turned even darker. "If that's what you want," he said simply.

Tommy groaned. "Oh hell. You wanna know what I _want_? Tryripping off your clothes and fuck you into next year if you don't stop talking like that," he said roughly. "But I can't, not only because that's not the way I want our first time to happen … but also because Mom is gonna kill me if I miss dinner and church tonight."

Jason laughed weakly as he tried to catch his breath; this was the first indication Tommy was giving him that he might want to take their relationship a step further. "Like dying from blue balls is gonna be any better? 'Cause it's either that or jump your bones right here, right now and damn the consequences if we _both _don't stop!"

They were entering dangerous territory again, and Tommy abruptly stood up. He _had _to get away from temptation, or he'd really lose control and do precisely what he'd just said he wouldn't.

---

"I'd better go now," he rasped, his expression putting the lie to what he was saying. Jason shivered at the raw desire he could read in the chocolate-colored gaze raking his body. "It … it's almost time, anyway."

"I guess," Jason sighed, slowly levering himself up from the couch as well. His erection was pressing visibly against the front of his pants, but he didn't mind if Tommy saw the effect he was having on him. He inhaled deeply and tried to dispel the charged atmosphere with a little humor. "I take it you like my present, then?"

Tommy chuckled and bent to pick up the picture frame. His fingers shook slightly as he ran them over the glass covering the photo. "I love it. I just wish I could show it to my folks – Mom's gonna be curious for sure – but I'd rather not answer the questions she'll have if she got a look at this."

"Hmm, yeah, could be awkward," Jason agreed with a small grin.

"To say the least."

The obvious solution was to put a more innocent picture into the frame, which was ornamental and valuable enough to qualify as a gift of its own. But where to get one? An idea occurred to Jason. "Hang on a minute, I think I have a solution." He quickly walked to the bookcase occupying part of one wall and drew a cloth-bound album from the bottom shelf. He flipped through the pages.

"Kim gave me the scrapbook when I graduated from High School; you were off racing at the time, I think, so you might not have seen … ah, here it is!" Jason carefully pried off a similarly-sized photo and handed it to Tommy. "Think this'll do as a cover?"

It was a picture Tommy vaguely remembered having been snapped by Ernie the first year he'd come to Angel Grove. In it, he saw the original Ranger team, with Jason and him standing in the center as they laughed at the photographer. They were dressed in red and green respectively, his hair was just growing out into his ponytail, and they all looked impossibly young and carefree. As his arm was slung casually around Jason's shoulder, it was an intimate yet sufficiently casual gift he could safely show to his parents. "It's perfect," Tommy murmured. "Wonder why I never got a copy."

"Kim still wasn't sure about how you stood with her then, and maybe she just forgot afterwards. Anyway, take it," Jason said simply. "I have a smaller version that I used to have on my desk at college; I can always have an enlargement made of that and replace this."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Want me to sign it for you?" Jason teased, and was touched when his lover nodded.

"Please?"

"Sure." Taking the picture back, Jason went to his desk and rummaged for a pen. Thinking for a minute, he finally wrote a few words across the bottom and handed it to Tommy. "Here."

Tommy read the short inscription. _'Thank you, my friend, for becoming the brother I never had. Love, Jason.' _ It summed up their relationship perfectly. At a loss for words, too choked-up to speak, Tommy just removed the back of the frame and carefully placed the picture over the other. "I love it," he said quietly as he regarded the frame after putting it together again. "If you don't mind, I'll get another frame for the original to take to my bedroom; I'll want this out where I and everyone can always see it."

_-Meaning he is planning to use the other picture for some, um, private inspiration,- _Jason realized and had to draw a shuddering breath at the implication. _-Man, I wish I had something like that for myself!- _But he couldn't say that – not if he wanted to preserve any chance of letting Tommy leave tonight.

"Of course I don't mind," he just said, then couldn't resist adding "But you know I'll be having all kinds of ideas about what you're gonna do with the picture on your nightstand, don't you?"

Tommy snorted softly. "Like I won't be imagining you jerking off either, now?"

Jason closed his eyes briefly as he had to suppress a shiver of excitement at the thought. When he looked back at his lover, a promise glinted in the dark depths. "I will if you do."

"What, simultaneously?"

"Yeah, why not," Jason drawled, slipping in a quick grope as he kissed Tommy one last time.

"How?" Tommy asked, drawing the muscular body against him as he returned the kiss.

Jason grinned mischievously as inspiration struck. "Ever thought about having phone sex?"

---

Tommy drew a deep breath as he remembered that first intimate call; they'd both been rather self-conscious in the beginning, but _that _feeling had faded as soon as Jason's deep, husky voice had started to murmur explicit suggestions in his ear the very first time.

Absently, he traced Jason's nude form in the picture with a fingertip. If he concentrated really hard, he could almost feel the texture of his lover's skin; if Jason were here with him now, he'd arch and stretch into the caress and tell him to …

The buzz of his bedside phone derailed Tommy's train of thought, and with a sigh he let the frame drop onto the sheet beside him. Hoping that it was indeed the call he was waiting for, he picked up the receiver. "Yes?"

_"Hi, Tom." _

"Jase," Tommy smiled, feeling his pulse quicken. "I thought it might be you."

Jason laughed, a low, intimate sound. _"Yeah, well, I couldn't wait another two nights to speak with you." _

"Uh huh. I was about to call you in another ten minutes or so if you hadn't beat me to it."

_"Were you now?" _

"Yes. I miss you," Tommy murmured.

_"Ditto," _Jason said softly.

Tommy smiled and shifted on his bed, getting more comfortable. "So, how was visiting with your cousin? Jeremy, wasn't it?"

_"Yep. It was good to see everybody again." _

They talked idly for a few minutes as Jason gave him a brief recap of the last few days' activities. When they'd brought each other fully up-to-date, though, his voice adopted a teasing tone. _"Hey, aren't you at all curious what I've got planned for our trip?" _

"Aside from hitting the slopes and having a great dinner on New Year's Eve, you mean?"

_"Uh huh." _

Tommy had a pretty good idea; if he knew Jason at all, any plans he'd made most likely involved the same things _he _intended to do … and they all centered on the king-size bed they'd specified in the reservation. "Well … maybe a little," he admitted. The idea of having Jason tell him what he wanted to do with and to him was enough to send a spark of electricity directly into his groin. He didn't need to look down to see he was getting erect.

"Care to give me a hint?" He tried to sound nonchalantly innocent tone, but knew he wasn't successful when the deep voice coming from the phone tucked against his ear shook with gentle laughter.

_"Do you want a hint?" _

"Actually, I want more than that," Tommy admitted roughly, his need for his lover overwhelming the desire to keep things light. "I want …"

_"You want … what, Bro?" _Jason repeated, sounding huskier than before. _"Go on, tell me – please?" _Usually he was the more verbal partner in this, their special version of pillow talk, but if Tommy was in the mood, he was more than willing to follow his lead. When there was only silence from Reefside, Jason prompted gently. _"Are you in bed yet?" _

"Yes."

_"Were you looking at the picture I gave you again?" _

"Maybe," Tommy hedged with just a touch of coyness. He didn't fool Jason, though.

_"I was hoping you would. – Are you naked?" _

Tommy chuckled at the hopeful tone and found himself blushing slightly at the bold question, even though nobody was here to see. "Not quite. I'm wearing pyjama bottoms."

_"I am. Take them off for me?" _

Tommy's breath caught. This was what he'd been waiting for – the game they'd started playing after that first Christmas. It happened rarely throughout the year, but fairly regularly around the various holidays, especially over Christmas when family obligations often kept them separate. He shivered in anticipation even as he reached for the elastic waistband. "Okay."

It wasn't easy to squirm out of the loose pants without losing the phone, but practice had taught him how exactly to wedge it between his shoulder and the pillow so that he could still listen to his lover's voice … and leave both his hands free. Kicking his nightwear to the floor at last, Tommy dimmed his lamp with a single touch. "Done," he murmured.

_"Mmm. I wish I could see you now." _

Thinking of the fire in Jason's eyes when he was kneeling next to him just before they made love had Tommy swallow. "Yeah, me too," he breathed.

_"Are you hard yet?" _

"G-getting there." Indeed, just anticipation of what was to come along with the low, intimate words managed to fill and stretch his cock.

_"If I was there with you, I'd lick your nipples now," _Jason continued. _"And twist them between my fingers the way you like … you're so sensitive there, it's incredible. Just the thought of biting 'em and have you buck up is giving me a hard-on, too. I bet they're all swollen now, aren't they?" _

"I-I guess."

_"Go on, pinch them. Make them hard." _He had switched from asking to commanding, but was doing so gently, lovingly – and Tommy eagerly obeyed.

Tommy's hands were already skimming across his own chest, teasing the brown nubs until they contracted into tiny pinpoints of sensation. He moaned as he drew the edge of a fingernail across his right nipple, wishing it was Jason's teeth instead.

_"That's it, Bro … don't stop quite yet. I'm playing with my nipples, too, thinking it's your mouth on me. You'll do that day after tomorrow, just before I take you. Right?" _

"Yeaaah …"

Jason laughed softly into the phone, his breathing noticeably faster as well. _"Can't wait. Now, I want you to use your hand – just one, go on doing what you're doing with the other – and take hold of yourself." _

Tommy's moans grew louder as he complied. He was fully stretched already, and the familiar feel of silken skin against his palm was exciting. He longed to do more, but Jason wasn't having it yet.

_"Do you need lotion?" _

It would be easier to masturbate with some kind of lubrication, but Tommy didn't want to let go even the minute it would take to reach for the bottle in his drawer; he'd make do.

"No," he breathed, fighting the urge to squeeze and pump.

_"Good. I'm hard for you as well, Tom. Now start stroking slow and easy, like I'm doing with myself now. And imagine it's my hand around you …" _

Tommy's moans got louder as he followed Jason's lead, his inner vision focusing on the image of the strong body lying on a bed back in Angel Grove, a light sheen of sweat defining the broad chest and muscled thighs. It made his heart beat even faster and the longing to be with his lover, to hold him and be held, even stronger. He picked up the tempo.

Jason went on, describing every action he wanted Tommy to perform, what he was doing himself and what he planned to do once they were together in full, sensual detail. It drove Tommy mad with desire as he complied and listened. Soon, his need overwhelmed his ability to follow the loving commands, though. He wasn't supposed to move faster, or without Jason telling him what to do next; he knew he should be waiting until they were both on the brink of orgasm before he gave that final stroke. But Tommy didn't care anymore; his world had narrowed down to Jason's voice panting in his ear as he painted such a vivid picture with his words, guiding him into ecstasy across the miles.

_"I'll make love to you every which way and then start all over again; I'll see to it that we're both too limp to move and then I want you doing the same to me …"_

Tommy's fingers were a blur of movement as he lost it. He still heard Jason, but the words were nothing but a sensual rumble, their cadence dictating the tempo with which he thrust again and again into his fist. Instinctively, Tommy lifted his hips upward as he rushed towards his climax, and when he crested the dam at last a primal cry burst from his throat.

"JASE!"

Tommy finally sank back down onto the mattress, gasping for air. "Uungh," he groaned, dizzy and spent. Awareness returned only gradually, and with it the sound of heavy breathing against his ear.

"J-jase?" he murmured, still out of breath and his voice raw.

_"I'm here," _Jason rasped. _"Did you just finish?" _

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. I know I should've waited for you to tell me, but … what you said got me so revved, I couldn't help myself," Tommy explained rather sheepishly. He was beginning to feel pleasantly exhausted as his skin cooled down and his heartbeat returned to a steadier rhythm. He reflected that there was no better feeling in the world than this. _-Well … with the exception of actually being with Jase.- _

_"Doesn't matter. In fact, I kinda like it that you lost control, forgot everything and just went ahead." _

If he concentrated, Tommy thought he could hear the faint sound of flesh gliding on flesh underneathas he listened to Jason's roughened baritone. It was obvious that his lover was still continuing whatever he'd been doing, and Tommy had no problem visualizing the scenario.

"How about you?" he murmured, swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth as he imagined running his lips and tongue over Jason's body.

_"Almost there," _Jason panted, then moaned. _"Shit, I wish you were here!" _

"Want me to, er, help you?" Tommy knew he wasn't nearly as good at verbalizing his desires as Jason, but he was certainly willing. After the mind-blowing orgasm he'd just experienced through Jason's vivid imagery (and his own hands, but it almost hadn't seemed that way), it was the least he could do to make the offer.

A breathless chuckle drifted through the phone line. _"Thanks, Bro – but no. Just listen while I finish, okay?" _

"Sure." The faint, familiar sounds of another man masturbating drifted towards him, making him shiver.

Jason was gasping now. _"Man. I can almost see you lying right next to me, watching. You'd have your head propped on one hand, and with the other you'd be playing with yourself. Nothing major, just showing me that you're waiting for me." _

"It's only a couple of days until we meet up in the mountains, Bro," Tommy promised. "I'll be there ready, willing and able for whatever you have in mind."

_"All I'm having on my mind right now is you and how long it'll take until I'm done," _Jason groaned between deep, shuddering breaths. _"I need you so bad, Tommy!" _

Tommy closed his eyes as his own need for his lover's presence, warm skin and firm body made itself felt. And it gave him the inspiration for the perfect way to greet Jason at the resort two days hence.

"If I make it to the cabin before you, I'll be waiting for you at the door – completely naked, already lubed up and raring to go," Tommy promised huskily. "In fact, if you want me to, I'll have you in my mouth as soon as we close the door."

There was a muffled shout from Jason, and Tommy realized that his promise had been enough to send him over the edge as well. Feeling inordinately pleased with himself, he waited until the soft moans quieted.

"You okay, Bro?" he smiled, knowing the answer already.

_"Never been better unless I was really with you," _Jason laughed breathlessly. _"Whoa. That was intense." _

"It helped, though, didn't it?"

_"Oh yeah. And don't think I won't hold you to it, Tom – you just managed to hit on one of my favorite fantasies, and my previous plans went right out the window!" _

Truth be told, so had Tommy's. But he didn't mind; he liked the new one much better anyway. At one time, the thought of doing something so blatantly sexual with _anyone _would've been enough to cause Tommy a serious case of the jitters – from embarrassment to sheer performance anxiety. Nowadays, thanks to Jason's loving, patient tutelage in the fine art of sexual freedom and exhibitionism, all he felt was a frisson of excitement at the idea. He liked giving up control to Jason sometimes, like he'd done earlier during their mutual jerk-off session and like he'd promised to be doing for at least part of the time on their skiing trip. Tommy knew that his best friend would never abuse the privilege – and he'd reap his own reward the next time _Jason _was in a submissive mood.

"Well, in that case … I'll be happy to serve," he murmured with just a hint of provocation.

_"You will, Bro," _Jason vowed. _"I'll make sure you enjoy it." _

"I know," Tommy smiled. "Only two more days."

_"Way too long." _

"I agree. But shorter than before the holidays."

_"Well, yeah. And it's getting late," _Jason sighed. _"Good night, Tom." _

"Good night. Sleep well."

_"I'm sure I will – now. You, too." _

The phone call ended, and Tommy finished his drink. He no longer was in the mood to read; having his mind filled with the voice and images of his lover would be more than enough. He slipped under the blanket and turned off the light, letting the last remnants of post-coital lassitude flood his body as he drifted off to sleep, his eyes lingering on the photograph Jason had given him and that had started this tradition. Hopefully, he'd even dream of Jason, and how they'd have the best New Year ever.

They did.

_To Be Continued … _


	11. Right Choice, Right Time

_**Disclaimer: **The usual ... not mine, not getting paid, used without permission yadayada ..._

_**Note: **In response to the LiveJournal PRSW 22 Challenge; themes #04: commitment and #17: public dining. Another long one, which is why it took me so long to finish it; sorry, I hope the wait was worth it! Happy Easter/Pesach/Spring Festival of Choice to all of you, and please leave me a chocolate egg in my Easter basket/pass the feedback box on your way out as usual? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 10: Right Choice, Right Time**

Jason was idly skimming the contents of the latest issue of his Teachers' Association newsletter that had arrived in his email today when an ad in the Classified section caught his eye. He read the small notice with a growing sense of excitement; it was … well, maybe not exactly the answer to a prayer, but certainly one solution to a problem that had been plaguing him and Tommy for quite some time now. If he answered the ad … sent in an application and was accepted, it certainly would make his life with Tommy a lot easier – but doing so would carry repercussions that were far-reaching and should _not _be taken lightly. He knew _he_ was prepared to face anything that might grow out of it; but how about Tommy? They'd never really talked this through, after all. Well, aside from discussing it in very general terms, and always with the addition of 'sometime'.

Jason would bet his Black Belt that lately, 'sometime' had begun to change into 'sometime _soon_' for both of them, which was what he – they – wanted, and yet …

_-Maybe I really should discuss it with Tommy first.-_

But if he did, and this window of opportunity closed – which it well might if he chose not to act quickly and decisively – there was no telling how long it would be until a similar chance came up. Was he letting his heart override his head? Maybe. And yet he couldn't help wishing …

Deciding at last that the chance was too good to pass up and that there would be no harm in trying (and – provided he succeeded at all – he could always withdraw later if Tommy should have reservations), Jason clicked on the link at the bottom of the newsletter and went to the specified website.

**---**

Tommy was hastily stuffing things into his briefcase, feeling rather harried, as his last class of the week slowly filed out of the school's lab. A surreptitious glance at his watch showed that he had to hustle if he wanted to have everything ready for Jason's visit later in the afternoon. Once again he mentally cursed the fact that this year's schedule had given him the honors class on Friday afternoons. While teaching the group of truly interested kids was a joy, he got held up far too often by their eagerness … and the choice between them and more time with his lover was never an easy one.

Done at last, Tommy all but ran to his car, his students already half-forgotten. He sent silent thanks to his Uncle John for giving him racing experience as he maneuvered his car from Reefside High to the shopping center to pick up groceries as fast as traffic (and that pesky thing named 'speed limit') allowed.

**---**

Feeling more than slightly stressed, Tommy barely managed to get everything done in time for Jason's arrival. Well, he still was busy in the kitchen stirring the pasta sauce, but that was a minor detail. And Jason certainly didn't mind – no, he grinned hugely and started teasing his lover about how domestic he was being. Tommy grinned wryly, choosing not to respond in kind for once, and it was very much to Jason's credit that he started helping with the last of the dinner preparations without being asked.

They ate, got caught up with the things that had happened since their last meeting, cleaned up and went directly to Tommy's bedroom. A shared shower initiated some heated lovemaking that ended in a sweaty, exhausted tangle of limbs and sheets, and they slept, only to start the weekend with another passionate interlude the next morning. Afterwards, feeling pleasantly sated yet strangely restless, Tommy stretched on the bed as he watched Jason bound out of bed energetically. He hurried through his shower and disappeared into the hallway, calling over his shoulder that Tommy had hurry up and get going if he wanted pancakes.

Tommy smiled and got up more slowly, taking a little more time with his ablutions as he savored the more leisurely pace two full days of freedom afforded him. He had no project going at Mercer Industries right now, so he didn't have to feel guilty about enjoying their two days together to the max. They'd eat breakfast, maybe spar a little, go for a swim … they could even visit Hayley in the afternoon before they returned home for some more lovemaking and just sleeping with each other. Sunday would be more of the same until late afternoon when Jason would have to drive back to Angel Grove.

_-A weekend like any other. Just the way we like it. Sounds perfect.-_

However, as he soaped his body under the hot spray, Tommy became aware that for once the plans he'd just made didn't sound all _that_ perfect after all. He _did_ wish for routine, but not at the expense of most any kind of social life outside casual meetings in either Angel Grove or Reefside. When was the last time they'd spent quality time with their friends or families? Or gone out?

_-I … I can't remember,- _Tommy realized with a start. -_We've been doing the same thing over and over again for months now. I drive to Jason's place every other Friday or Saturday, the other week he comes here, we eat, make love, sleep … lather, rinse, repeat, until it's time to leave each Sunday for whoever made the trip,- _he mused. _-Damn, when and how did we slip into such a rut? We're just entering our thirties, and we're behaving worse than our parents ever did. It's almost as if we've turned into the stereotypical old married couple.-_

Tommy didn't exactly mind that his relationship with Jason had reached this comfortable stage, that they didn't need extra excitement, but somehow, thinking about the routine they'd fallen into, things seemed pretty … well, boring. And that definitely was _not _what he wanted!

_-Well, I can't say that the sex is boring, though,- _he comforted himself as he ran a razor over his cheeks. _-Actually, it's anything but.- _ He grinned, feeling a definite twitch in his groin as he recalled last night's lovemaking. Jason had been so eager, so excited … after bringing each other to a quick, almost frantic orgasm, he'd pinned Tommy to the bed with his greater strength and proceeded to demonstrate how much he'd missed him – and just how very inventive his imagination could be. _-Shit, I never dreamed that Jase might get kinky!- _

With an effort, he wrenched his mind away from the steamy memories. If he dwelled too long on what they'd done last night (and at other times), he was likely to go downstairs still dripping wet, haul Jason back into the bedroom and show him exactly what his latest 'game' had managed to inspire. _-And if I do that, we'll never leave the bed all weekend!- _ Which, for once, wasn't what he wanted. So Tommyfinished in the bathroom, threw on some clothes, then went in search of his lover and breakfast.

"Mm, something smells good," he commented as he entered the sun-drenched kitchen.

"Blueberry pancakes," Jason grinned, deftly sliding another onto the already-high stack. "Almost done; why don't you get the coffee?" There was a sizzling sound as he poured the last of the batter onto the griddle, and the aroma intensified.

"Sure."

Mouth watering, Tommy fetched the carafe and poured two mugs, sliding onto his seat just as Jason turned off the stove and carried the laden platter to the table. "Dig in, Bro."

"You betcha."

The two men made short work of consuming every last morsel; being busy and single, they rarely had the leisure to enjoy a full, cooked breakfast during the week. It was just one more thing that made their weekends together so special, but Tommy found that he didn't enjoy it as much as he was used to. Since he didn't want Jason to know, he did his best to hide his unease under a stream of banter, never noticing the searching glance his lover directed at him once or twice, and Tommy eventually succeeded in convincing himself that his weird mood was just one of those'things', caused by sun spots, work-related stress, unresolved sexual tension – _-Only, we resolved that nicely last night, and earlier this morning!- _– or maybe it just being the wrong time of the month.

_-Whatever. If I were a woman, I could always blame it on having PMS, or something.- _He grinned to himself as he drained the last of his coffee. _-And it's a good thing none of the girls, or Mom, can hear me even think that; they'd probably skin me alive!- _

Jason caught the grin. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Tommy said nonchalantly. "Just a weird thought I just had."

"A thought you don't want to share, I take it?"

"Later maybe."

Jason reined in his curiosity; he had his own secret to keep, so he accepted the obvious evasion. "Okay."

Breathing a silent sigh of relief at Jason's easy reply, Tommy finished his breakfast and helped clear the table. They quickly stacked the dishwasher and took care of whatever chores remained. But when they were done, he felt the strange restlessness return. At a loss whether to give voice to his feelings or continue to hide them, he was on the verge to broach the subject after all when Jason distracted him with a somewhat unusual request.

"Hey, do you mind if we drive downtown? I need to do some shopping, and I couldn't find the time during the week."

"Shopping for what?" Tommy wondered. "If it's groceries, why didn't you send me an email, or called? I could've picked your stuff up after school yesterday, when I was at the market."

Jason shrugged. "Actually, it's clothes," he said, looking at Tommy out of the corner of his eye. Would his friend find that too weird? They'd never gone shopping together before, other than for books or karate gear while they were still in High School. There was no other reaction than a raised eyebrow, so Jason continued with a rather sheepish smile. "Nothing fancy, just a couple T-shirts and socks, maybe a track suit if I can find one on sale. Oh, and a dress shirt and tie to go with my good suit. Angel Grove High is holding a fundraiser next month, and I spilled something on my old tie on Mom's birthday that the cleaners couldn't get out."

Tommy grinned, suddenly feeling better at the thought of getting away from the house for once. "Sure, why not. You got any particular place in mind?"

"Not really; back home, I'd probably end up at WalMart or something. The downtown stores are either designer outlets I can't afford, or places where Mom shops for Dad, so …" He grimaced comically. "I'm not _that_ old yet."

"No, you're not," Tommy agreed with a smile. "But there's this perfectly good mall in Stone Canyon … why don't you shop there?"

"No way! I don't have time to drive over during the week, and I never go to the mall on a weekend if I can help it!"

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Too many of my students are hanging out there on Saturdays," Jason explained with a shudder. "The last time I tried, I ran into half of the senior class … I almost had the girls tagging along, picking out my stuff for me. Good thing I got away."

"Oh boy," Tommy laughed, highly amused as he pictured the scene. "You were chicken?!?"

Jason glared at him, but his lips were twitching suspiciously. "Yeah, well, count yourself lucky that _your _seniors mostly aren't that much into science to want to socialize with you out of class," he retorted. "Remember doing the mall with Kim and Trini?"

"And Aisha, Kat and Tanya, too," Tommy said dryly. "I survived, why?"

"Multiply _their_ shopping habits by a factor of five, add in the fact that my students are at least ten years younger than we are, imagine what kids think of as fashionable these days and _then_ tell me you'd voluntarily put yourself through that."

Now it was Tommy's turn to shudder. "Er, I see your point," he admitted. "Maybe we _are _better off going to the shops downtown. Reefside has a pretty good selection; it'll just take longer to find everything."

Jason waved that off. "Hey, I don't mind if you don't. It'll give us something to do today, and besides – in all the time I've been coming here, I've seen very little of Reefside. I'd love it if you could show me around." He also wanted to check out a certain location, but thought he'd better keep it to himself for now. No reason to raise possibly false hopes yet. "Unless you have, um, other plans?" he asked instead, giving Tommy a playful leer.

Momentarily tempted, Tommy nevertheless shook his head. "As a matter of fact I do, but nothing that can't wait until tonight," he said lightly as he walked towards the door, then ruined the effect by drawing Jason into a close hug as he passed him. "Besides, a little anticipation won't kill us," he said, kissing the firm mouth. _-I hope!-_

"Mmmkay." Jason's tongue snaked out and licked at his lips, and Tommy groaned. "Just a little taste of what we're postponing," Jason murmured, his voice just a tad husky. "I wouldn't want you to forget …"

Feeling slightly breathless, Tommy resisted the urge to deepen their kiss and shopping be damned. "Trust me, that's one thing I won't _ever _forget."

"Good. Now, let's go before I decide I don't need new things for the fundraiser after all." Still, Jason wouldn't let him go without grinding their hips together once and running one hand from Tommy's neck across his chest to his butt. He held them in place for several seconds, eyes locked, and felt his pulse quicken. He then took a regretful step back before they reached the point of no return. "Later," he promised with a sultry look.

"Definitely," Tommy agreed, slipped in a quick grope of his own and took a deep breath as he released his lover. He hoped the drive into town would be long enough to calm his stirring hormones. "My car or yours?"

"Depends on who's driving," Jason grinned as he tucked his wallet into his hip pocket.

"Who knows the way?" Tommy dead-panned, grabbing his keys. Suddenly eager to leave, he led the way outside and smirked as Jason blew a raspberry in his direction. "Oh, stuff it. You know you hate following directions, and since it's me living here, it'd be idiotic if you tried reading a map at the wheel."

"Yeah, yeah, no need to be smug about it," Jason mock-grumbled as he rounded the vehicle and slid into the passenger seat. "Control freak."

"Yes. And you love me for it."

"Among other things. Now go, before we end up in the backseat like a couple horny teenagers!"

Tommy revved the engine. "That's different from being a couple horny late twenty-something guys how?"

"Not a lot, but I think my back is gonna thank me afterwards if I skip that particular pleasure these days," Jason said, dark eyes gleaming. "At least in this heap of junk. But if you insist …"

"Maybe some other time," Tommy manfully ignored the insult to his trusty jeep, just sent a sly look Jason's way and drove off his property onto the road to Reefside.

Jason snorted. "Which means never. Or do _your _finances go up to buying a luxury car anytime soon? Because mine sure don't!"

"No, but if you're so set on doing it on the backseat of a car, we can always rent a limo."

"Yeah, right – I'd like to see how the driver puts _that _in his log – or do you have a reason to give him an hour or so off that won't sound completely asinine?"

"Like this conversation, you mean?" Tommy's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.

Jason shot him an exaggeratedly disgusted look as he started to chuckle as well. It had been way too long since he and Tommy had engaged in banter like this, nonsensical or not. They usually were so intent on making up for lost time on their bi-weekly visits that they rarely found the necessary ease to just tease each other, and as much as he enjoyed sharing conversations ranging from serious discussions to X-rated phone calls, Jason had to admit he often missed the light-hearted teasing that came from everyday familiarity. He suppressed a small sigh. As long as they continued living basically separate lives, there was nothing they could do about it – which made today's exchange all the more enjoyable for its rarity. But a shopping trip was hardly the right time to open _that _particular can of worms, so …

"Shut the hell up already and drive, okay?"

Laughing out loud at last, Tommy complied.

**---**

They arrived in downtown Reefside, parked the car near the harbor and started a leisurely tour around the shops as Tommy played tour guide. Jason was pleasantly surprised to see that the town, while smaller than Angel Grove, still hosted a sizeable number of amenities – from a small, but well-equipped general hospital to most of the well-known shopping and eating franchises. There were several museums, the local Historical Society, a community theater, a moderate multiplex and some more upscale restaurants. As such, Reefside pleasantly combined small-town living with a sufficiently varied offering of leisure activities; a development due in no small part to the population growth here and in the neighboring communities caused by the influx of employees of Anton Mercer's ever-expanding business ventures.

Most of Jason's shopping was done in between the sightseeing. The only thing he couldn't seem to find was a track suit that was both comfortable and in a price range he could afford. Finally, Jason was about to give up.

"You know what, let's just forget about it. I'll just ask Mrs. Keppel if I can borrow one of her mail order catalogues, and have it shipped."

Tommy shrugged. "If that's what you want to do, fine. But there's one more store just a couple blocks down that way-" he pointed to the left of the intersection they were approaching, "and if you can't find one there, we'll call it a day. Okay?"

Good-naturedly, Jason shrugged. "Why the hell not. Lead on, MacDuff." The afternoon was almost gone, anyway; after their hearty breakfast, they had decided to skip lunch, but Jason was definitely beginning to feel a little hungry – and not just for food. He felt a pleasant tingle in his gut as he thought of the night ahead.

Much to both men's surprise, the Reefside Emporium carried a good selection of sportswear, including a full rack of track suits on sale. Quickly selecting two, Jason thrust his other purchases at Tommy. "Hang onto this for a minute, okay? I'll just try them on, and if one fits well enough, I'll be done."

"Sure." Tommy watched Jason disappear in the changing cabin. While he waited, he wandered idly around the department, looking at the merchandise, but stopped when he came across a stand that held stacks of boxed underwear. One pack was open, showing a flash of black and burgundy. Tommy nearly purred with tactile delight as he fingered the material curiously. A quick look at the label confirmed that these particular boxer shorts were made out of incredibly soft, stone-washed silk.

_-Mmm. I can just see Jase wearing these; it must be nice to stroke down his back and feel silk on his ass instead of cotton.-_

Almost instantaneously, his imagination took over.

_-Better yet … Jase sometimes doesn't dry off after showering. If he doesn't … then put on silk shorts … they'd cling in all the right places on damp skin!-_

Tommy imagined peeling black silk underwear off his lover's body with nothing but his lips and teeth, immediately felt his mouth go dry and his body tighten. He swallowed hard as he fought for control and impulsively reached for a pair in Jason's size. He gulped when the cashier rang up a hefty sum, but Tommy didn't care – in his not-unbiased opinion, the surprise would definitely be worth every penny. _-I can't wait to see Jase wearing the shorts … and to get him out of 'em!-_

Luckily, he was finished just before Jason returned from the fitting room, one track suit folded over his arm. He hung the other back onto the rack.

"Found something?" Tommy asked casually, unobtrusively making sure that his own purchase was safely hidden within another shopping bag.

"Yeah; this one fits just right, and it's been marked down by forty percent, too. Let me just pay for it, and I'm done."

"Cool."

Jason grinned at his friend. "Yep." Sale accomplished, he shoved his wallet back into his hip pocket. His dark eyes were gleaming with promise. "I don't know about you, but shopping has given me quite an appetite." The suggestive pause before and emphasis on the last word spoke volumes.

"Ditto." The pangs of hunger Tommy was beginning to feel as well went far beyond his stomach.

"So, back to your house for dinner, or do we stop on the way for takeout? By the time we make it home, I think I could eat half a horse at least, and it wouldn't make sense to wait for a delivery guy when we'll be passing half a dozen drive-ins on the way. And to be honest, I'm not really in the mood to cook."

Tommy experienced a rush of warmth on hearing Jason refer to his house as 'home' so naturally, and it was on the tip of his tongue to agree. The sooner they went back and ate, the sooner they'd be in bed and making love, which _was _what they both wanted, Tommy was sure. Ever since they'd become lovers, he couldn't remember a single shared weekend when they'd gone without having sex for this long. He glanced at his watch and started. _-It's past six already?!?- _A quick mental calculation proved that almost ten hours had passed since they had woken each other in the most pleasurable way. So it was quite understandable that one part of Tommy wanted to continue in the worst way where they'd left off; not so much why his earlier restlessness and dissatisfaction with the status quo made an unexpected comeback and another portion of his mind told him to wait. Unexpectedly, _that_ part won.

Calling himself three kinds of a fool, Tommy capitulated before this inner urging and sent Jason an apologetic look that wasn't entirely faked. "Actually … I don't really feel like cooking either, but I'm also not in the mood for takeout. I get way too much of that during the week. Why don't we see whether we can find a place to eat here?"

Jason raised an eyebrow as they left the store. "Have you forgotten it's Saturday? We might not find a table without a reservation."

"Shouldn't be much of a problem; it's still a little early for the usual dinner crowd. Besides, it's been a while since we ate something that didn't come out of a cardboard box or we prepared ourselves, don't you think?"

Jason was about to remind Tommy of his visit to Angel Grove six weeks ago when they'd gone out for brunch at a local hotel on Sunday morning, but he could read something in the brown eyes that made him swallow the remark.

"Sure, why not," he acquiesced with a smile.

**---**

Forty-five minutes later, they were seated in a booth at a rustic steak house just off the Reefside marina, the table between them laden with large platters of steak, baked potatoes, salads and tall glasses of iced tea. Both men ate with gusto until their first hunger was sated. A helpful waiter removed the debris and asked whether they wanted dessert, but they declined, opting for an after-dinner coffee instead. When the steaming cups arrived, Tommy leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

"That was great."

Jason wrapped both hands around his mug, relishing the warmth. "Uh huh," he agreed companionably. He took the first sip, looking at his lover over the rim of his cup. There was still a look in Tommy's eyes he couldn't quite read, one that had been there since morning. Deciding at last he would just have to ask if Tommy wasn't coming forth with whatever it was that caused that look, Jason carefully set his coffee cup back down.

"So … are you gonna tell me now what's been bugging you all day, or do we wait until we're home?"

Tommy nearly choked on his latte. "What do you mean?"

"Bro, you've been showing me around all morning like some kind of demented tour guide," Jason said dryly. "I've done enough sightseeing tours during my time at the Peace Conference to recognize when someone's dragging things out as much as possible. It's bad enough in places like Paris or London, but … Reefside? No offense, it's obviously a great town to live in, but not exactly full of tourist attractions. And the shopping? I could've gotten most of my stuff within an hour, two at most. Instead we took all day because _you _insisted on going from one store to another until I had everything. The way I see it, you've been more or less just marking time." He smiled, showing Tommy that he wasn't angry. "So what's up with that?"

That _was _what he'd unconsciously been doing, Tommy realized with a guilty start. Blushing at being found out, his eyes flew to Jason's. Seeing only love and honest concern in the dark depths, Tommy managed to smile back rather embarrassedly.

"It was that obvious?"

"To someone who knows and loves you, yes." The deep voice lowered to a near-whisper as Jason answered. He wasn't ashamed to admit his feelings in public, and the booths next to theirs _were _still empty, but as long as they were keeping their relationship unofficial, he chose to maintain their privacy.

"Tom, I don't mind doing stuff with you, even if it's something as mundane and, well, boring as buying underwear," he smiled. "It's just … we get to see each other seldom enough as it is, and I'd much rather spend time with you alone, y'know?"

"So do I …"

"But?" Jason briefly touched Tommy's fingers, which were still clamped around his coffee cup. "There _is _a 'but' in there, isn't it?"

_-He knows me too well, dammit.-_

"Yes," Tommy admitted at last. It seemed he would have to express his rather nebulous feelings after all. Which wasn't going to be easy, as he wasn't quite clear on his reasons himself. Well, maybe trying to put it into words would help. _-Here goes nothing …-_ "Jase … I think I'm getting tired of all this."

Puzzled, Jason tilted his head. "Tired? How? Of what?"

"Of the way things are going in our relationship," Tommy started, then hastily reached for Jason's hand when he saw him flinch. "Hey, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's nothing to do with _us_ –we're fine, andI love being with you, here or back at your place. It's just … we never seem to _do _anything," he fumbled.

"Seems to me we're doing plenty," Jason murmured relievedly, returning the slight squeeze around his fingers. "At least I didn't hear you complain last night or this morning," he added a little facetiously.

Tommy shook his head. "That's not it. _That _part of our relationship is great, and I wouldn't want to change things even if I could. But … I feel we've fallen into a real rut lately, and it's starting to bother me. A lot."

"What do you mean, a rut?"

Tommy sighed, searching for the right words. "It's … it's just always the _same_ when we get together. You drive up here, or I come to Angel Grove, we eat, make love, sleep, do it all over again the next day and then again until whoever's driving has to leave." Drawing a deep breath, Tommy rambled on. "When was the last time we had other plans? I'd have to check my calendar to know, and I'm pretty certain you can't recall the last time, either. We used to have fun together going to the movies, or a concert, a sporting event, whatever. Now, we just stay at home. _Always_." He snorted._ "_Hell, I'm almost missing the time when we wouldn't stay at each others' homes, because camping out gave us at least something to _do_."

It lay on the tip of Jason's tongue to say that camping out had solely been Tommy's idea, but as he was too glad they'd gone beyond that particular hang-up, he bit back the comment.

"What else would you have us do, Tommy? Make out in the back of a car like we joked this morning, or take walks in the wood holding hands? I don't think that's enough for either of us."

"You're right, it's not," Tommy agreed. "But … what I'm trying to get at is … we've given up any kind of a … well, a social life, I guess, in exchange for being together." That came pretty close to the mark, and Tommy felt a sense of relief at having finally identified what was bothering him. "Sometimes, I kind of miss being with other people," he added quietly. "Don't you?"

"Not really. Well, maybe now and then, but to be honest, I'd rather be alone with you than out among strangers, someplace where I can't touch or kiss you," Jason replied in a low, intense voice. "Are you saying you want to go partying or something?"

Before Tommy could answer, there was a commotion near the entrance to the restaurant. A large group of people had come in, laughing and jostling each other … and the hostess was guiding them directly to the booths at the back where the two were sitting. "I'm sorry we don't have adjoining booths," the young woman apologized to the newcomers, "but if these gentlemen wouldn't mind moving over …?"

Jason and Tommy shared a quick glance. Their discussion had reached a stage where privacy was essential, so … "It's quite okay, we were about to leave anyway."

"Hey, thanks, man," one of the guests said.

"You're welcome." Quickly, they paid their bill, collected their belongings and left.

**---**

They dumped their purchases in Tommy's car and walked out towards the pier. It was already dark outside, the stars coming out in force on this cool spring night, but the marina was reasonably well-lit and they made their way towards the far end where a low wall invited them to sit which Jason did. Tommy, however, was too restless; he started pacing back and forth in a tight circle.

"I don't want partying," Tommy said, picking up the thread of their conversation. "That's no fun without friends. And no way am I going to a gay club or whatever!"

"Agreed. It's hardly our scene. So what _do _you want?"

"I dunno. Wait, I _do _know – I want everyday things. Like the shopping we did today. It shouldn't be a special occasion, just something we do together. Or other fun stuff like we used to in school – you know what I mean."

"Granted, but …"

Now it was Tommy who interrupted. "No buts, Jase. Just listen. Please?"

There was no way Jason could resist the pleading look in the brown eyes. He nodded slowly. "Sure."

Rubbing the back of his neck in a gesture that was as familiar to Jason as breathing, Tommy visibly collected his thoughts, swallowed once and plunged ahead. "I've been feeling kinda restless lately about the way things are going between us. I guess it started a while ago, really ... I just didn't realize exactly why and what about until today. Bro, I … there've been times when I missed out on doing something on my own, like seeing a movie during the week, because I thought it'd be more fun with you. Only, when we got together, we didn't do it either because we were so busy catching up and screwing our brains out that there never was time for anything else."

Jason shrugged helplessly. "I know, I'm pretty much doing the same thing. But we see each other so rarely, I want to be as close to you as I can when we do meet. Going out, doing _stuff_ just doesn't compare to being with you – and I don't care whether it's in or out of bed!"

"Well, yeah. But I think I'm starting to resent having to make that choice time and again. Which is scary in and of itself – if worse comes to worst, it could damage what we have – and the last thing I want is resentment or regret about our relationship. Dammit, Jase, we shouldn't _have _to choose between making love or having a life! I want _both_!"

Jason gave him a steady look, his voice calm and controlled even though inwardly he was pumping his fist. "So do I, but the way things are, we can't _have _both."

Tommy drew a deep breath. "Maybe it's time we changed things so we can then."

_-Oh my God, does he know? Naw – he can't. But I think he won't complain if I tell him about the plans I've made.- _Hiding his sudden excitement, Jason looked at his lover. "In what way?"

It was so obvious, Tommy couldn't believe it had taken them so long to see. "Let's move in together," he said simply, coming to stand right in front of Jason. "It's what we talked about, isn't it?"

The perfect solution, and the fulfillment of very hope and dream Jason had ever had. And that _Tommy _was suggesting it made it all the sweeter. It was Jason's turn to swallow. "Yes. But you do realize what that involves, right?"

"Uh huh. One, or maybe even both of us will have to relocate. Whether it's here in Reefside or in Angel Grove – or someplace else entirely – I don't care. I want to live with you, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

"Even giving up your house? Your research with Hayley, your job with Mercer?"

"If that's what it takes, yes."

Jason regarded his best friend steadily. "We'd also have to come out; tell our friends and families why we're doing it – that we are more than just friends."

"I know," Tommy replied quietly, demonstrating his complete commitment in two short words. "I love you, and I'm willing. So – what do you say?"

Slowly, Jason rose from his perch on the low wall. Tommy expected him to come into his arms, but much to his surprise Jason turned away and stared out across the natural bay that formed Reefside's harbor. A few fishing boats were getting ready to go out for some night fishing, the sounds of their engines and the crews' voices wafting towards them over the dark water. He watched them, remaining silent for several long moments, and when he finally spoke it wasn't what Tommy expected, or even wanted to hear.

"Those lights across the bay … what are they?"

"Huh?"

Jason pointed. "There, in that valley – is that another town? You probably couldn't see anything if the night were less clear." Indeed, if one looked closely, a few lights shone much brighter and more yellowish than the stars in the sky. They seemed obviously man-made. However, Tommy couldn't care less about that right now – he wanted to hear Jason's opinion on his proposal, not discuss geography!

"I guess," he said, a hint of impatience in his voice. "You still haven't given me an answer."

Jason ignored him. "I think it might be Brookhill. Am I right?" Brookhill was a neighboring town from where Anton Mercer recruited quite a number of his employees; with cheaper plots and more room than Reefside, it had been a convenient location to build company-funded housing.

"Could be," Tommy murmured, feeling a crushing sensation wash over him. He'd expected Jason to jump at the chance of a life together, or at least give it serious consideration; this casual dismissal was more than disappointing. His shoulders slumped as he tried to brace himself for the rejection that would surely follow soon.

"Can't be more than twenty-five or thirty miles from Reefside," Jason went on blithely, still staring across the water. "Are the roads open in winter? If not, it might be tricky to drive in case of snow. Although I think Mercer would see to it that they're cleared; after all, he'll want his work force in place on time each day."

"Whatever."

Jason hid a smile as he snuck a glance at his lover. There was so much listlessness and disappointment in that one word, it would be heart-wrenching if he didn't have a remedy at hand. True to form, Tommy was assuming the worst once more, not even considering that he might have a reason for his seeming indifference. Well, he was about to get a surprise.

"Don't you get a lot of students at Reefside High from the middle school there?"

"Yeah." Tommy's reply was curt as he turned away, preparing to return to his car. He didn't want to wait until Jason got around to breaking his heart completely. _-Just say it. Do it in one strike, not piece by piece!- _But Jason's indecently cheerful voice held him back.

"The reason I'm asking is … the Brookhill school district has decided to open up their own high school this summer. The student body certainly is large enough now, and they expect more growth in the next few years." Tommy showed no reaction beyond a disinterested shrug and was pointedly not looking him, hurt in every line of his body, so Jason decided to take him out of his misery.

"The position of Head of Athletics is still open; I saw an ad in the TA's newsletter last month and sent in a job application. I have an interview lined up two weeks from now."

It took Tommy several seconds until the information Jason had just given him filtered into his brain. When it finally did, he whirled around to stare wide-eyed at his best friend.

"Wh-what?"

Jason smiled gently, his eyes warm with love. "If I get the job, it would be an easy commute from your house," he murmured softly. "If you really think you can put up with me 24/7, that is."

Suddenly dizzy with relief and excitement, Tommy took a swaying step forward. "Oh God, Jase …!" He was caught safely in strong arms and buried his face in the crook of Jason's neck.

"It's by no means certain I'll get the job," Jason warned, his breath tickling moistly against Tommy's ear. "I'm still fairly young, but as it's a new school … I think I may have a realistic chance. And it would be the perfect solution, don't you think?"

"Perfect, yeah," Tommy breathed, wrapping his lover into a crushing hug. "Shit, Jase, I thought-"

"-the worst, as usual," Jason chuckled, hugging back. "Do you really think I'd refuse when you were offering me the one thing I've wanted ever since we got together?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," Tommy confessed, blushing with chagrin at having jumped to the wrong conclusion … and growing giddy with delight. "Aw, man!"

"Exactly!"

They both laughed, midnight-dark eyes meeting sparkling brown ones, and as one leaned forward until their lips met. The kiss started softly, but soon gained in intensity as their emotions surged.

Tommy didn't think at all; he just reveled in new hope and a sense of elation he hadn't felt since the first time they made love. If things fell the way they wanted, soon they would no longer have to hide the fact that they were a couple in all ways – and for all his reservations and fears in the past months, he could hardly wait! The time was right; it was the right choice to make.

For Jason, it was yet another step towards a full union – not only had they just made a further commitment to each other by agreeing to make their relationship official, but they were also for the first time sharing a kiss in public. As gestures of intimacy went, it wasn't exactly earth-shattering, but still a long way from the secrecy they'd observed until now. He was content with the choice – it felt _right_.

All things combined, it was a strong aphrodisiac, and Jason felt his body tighten. A soft moan from Tommy directly into his mouth and a nudge from slim hips against his own showed that his feelings were being fully reciprocated. There was a hardness to match his own pressing against his belt. Jason sighed happily and moved closer against Tommy, not caring whether a stranger might see.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a shout.

"Hey, guys! Get a room!"

Startled, they broke apart and looked over their shoulders. The shout had come from the water – one of the fishing boats was trawling past them, and a sailor was grinning broadly at them from the stern. He waved, then casually slung an arm around a second fisherman who'd come up beside him. They seemed comfortable in the loose embrace.

Slightly breathless from their intense kiss and his growing arousal, Jason nevertheless freed one arm from Tommy's waist and waved back, then grinned at his lover.

"What a great idea."

"Downright excellent," Tommy agreed, fighting not to squirm in his suddenly too-tight pants. "Why don't we?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Jason whispered huskily.

Tommy kissed him again, briefly but thoroughly. "So let's get home – remember, I said this morning I have plans for tonight." He gave a suggestive wink.

Reluctantly, Jason let go completely and took Tommy's hand, giving it a tug in the direction of the black jeep. "So do I," he replied with a wicked leer.

Butterflies were stirring in Tommy's stomach as he followed willingly, growing increasingly eager to get Jason home … and into his bed. It might be a little early for a celebration, as it was by no means certain that Jason _would_ get the job in Brookhill; but if he didn't, they'd just start looking for another solution that suited them both. And meanwhile … surely there was nothing wrong with anticipating the true party, was there?

"Anything I might be interested in?" he asked casually as he unlocked his car.

"Of course," Jason answered smoothly, climbing in. He was buckling up when he noticed Tommy's questioningly-raised eyebrow. "It's something fairly major, though," he warned.

Tommy's imagination soared into overdrive as he drove away from the marina. "Oh? Like what?" he breathed, his mouth getting dry with suspense. With Jason, 'something major' could involve anything from chocolate sauce to light bondage, and he couldn't wait to find out.

The angelic smile should have warned him. So should Jason's deliberately-innocent voice. But in his current euphoric state, Tommy misread the signs. Only his superb reflexes saved them from crashing with sheer amused outrage when Jason finally answered with fluttering eyelashes and a limp-wristed wave.

"Why, how to redecorate your house. What did _you _think?"

_To Be Continued …_


	12. The Price of Love 1

_**Disclaimer: **__Power Rangers and related characters, items and locations aren't mine; copyright belongs to BVE/MMPR Productions. I'm just playing in their sandbox._

_**Note: **__In response to the Live Journal PRSW 22 challenge; themes # 06, family and #13, loss._

_**Note II: **__A word of warning – this chapter will probably end up having at least two, if not three installments; I'll have to see how long it ultimately gets. So bear with me, please? Oh, and I'm referencing events described in another story I co-authored with Cmar – "Strangers In Red". With her permission, I'm also drawing on some of the back story from her "Turns In The Road" series. You might want to read either fic to get the full picture (links can be found in our respective profiles), but it's not vitally important to understand this one. :-) And a very BIG thank you to Cmar for the beta! So, enjoy, I hope – and please pass by the feedback box on your way out? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 11: The Price of Love**

"What happened to your car?!?"

Jason shrugged indifferently. "I hit a rock on the way up here."

Tommy hurried towards his lover, refraining with difficulty from running his hands over Jason's body to check for injuries. "Are you hurt? Somebody else?" The dent in the fender didn't _look _all that bad, but you never knew …

He got a tired smile in return. "Nah. Just wasn't paying attention enough. I turned a corner, cut it a little close, and … bang." Jason snagged his overnight bag from the back seat and locked his car with a click of the remote. "Don't fuss, okay? I'll have it fixed next week."

It was on the tip of Tommy's tongue to say that his concern was not just 'fussing', but he swallowed the remark. Jason didn't need any rebukes from him; not today, when he had finally come back to Reefside after an almost month-long hiatus in their mutual visits. "If you say so."

Jason didn't reply, just went ahead of him and entered the comfortable ranch-style house. Tommy followed more slowly, noting the halting gait and slump of the broad shoulders with a hint of alarm. Still, he said nothing. Jason would talk to him eventually. _-I hope!-_

Dinner was a quiet affair for once, as Jason was merely picking at his food. Tommy didn't bother to ask whether he was coming down with something – he was afraid he knew all too well what was causing the listless pallor. Mentally, he started to swear. _-Damn you, John – how can you __do__ that to him? He's your __son__!- _Unfortunately, he had no answer.

Once cleanup was completed, Tommy suggested they spend some quiet time in front of the fire, but Jason shook his head.

"No thanks, Bro. I'm sorry, but I'm really beat. If you don't mind, I'll lie down straight away."

"Sure, whatever you want." He smiled reassuringly. "Go on ahead; I'll just check my messages."

"'Kay." With a half-hearted wave, Jason went off towards the bedroom while Tommy sat at his desk and booted up his laptop.

After a few minutes, Tommy shut the computer down again; he'd only used it as an excuse to give Jason the privacy he apparently wanted. Switching off the lights in the kitchen and living area on his way to the bathroom, he entered it from the hallway and took a quick shower. Tempted to crawl into bed naked as usual when Jason visited, some instinct made him reach for a clean pair of boxers instead. When he finally came into the darkened bedroom, he saw that he'd been right to put them on – rather than waiting for him gloriously nude on top of the covers, Jason was lying on the right, facing the window, and covered almost up to his shoulders. Sighing inwardly, Tommy went to the other side of the double mattress and slipped under the blankets. He longed to curl up against that broad back, to hold and comfort his best friend, but a tentative touch brought no reaction – he could tell from the cadence of Jason's breathing that he wasn't asleep yet, but neither did he turn around. Nor did he reply to Tommy's murmured "Sleep well."

Silently cursing what had brought them to this state of affairs, Tommy resigned himself to one more night of waiting, drew the blanket up to his chest and closed his eyes. Sleep, however, was a long time in coming.

---

The next day, Tommy for once was up earlier than Jason; he briefly considered waking him and use the early-morning stillness and intimacy of their shared bed for some much-needed conversation, but the dark circles under Jason's eyes spoke of a night even more restless than Tommy's own, so he let him sleep. _-Later, then!- _When Jason finally came for breakfast, at least his appetite had improved to near-normal levels which eased Tommy's worries enough to bide his time instead of forcing a confrontation as he'd planned. They spent a quiet, lazy day around the house, sparring a little, clearing the yard, but whatever they started was a half-hearted attempt at best and never lasted long. They finally called it a day when dark clouds gathered over the forest behind Tommy's house, threatening a rare summer storm. As expected, it broke while the two were finishing dinner.

"Good thing we're done cooking," Tommy remarked. "I dunno if the electricity's going to hold – we'd better leave the dishes until tomorrow."

"Is that often a problem?" Jason asked.

"Not really; only during really heavy storms and if I have too many things running at the same time. I've got a backup generator down in the lair, so we won't be cut off completely; it usually clears up as soon as the worst is over, but I'd rather not risk a blackout by running the dishwasher now. And I'm not in the mood for washing up the old-fashioned way." He grinned wryly. "Or do you fancy getting soapy?"

"Not really. Good point."

"Why don't you take our drinks into the den? I'll join you as soon as I've checked the shutters."

"Sure," Jason shrugged. "Want me to light a candle, too, just in case?"

"Only if it's just _one_," Tommy smiled and winked, alluding to his near-disastrous attempt at romance early in their relationship. Usually, that got at least a grin out of his lover; more often than not a raunchy reply and sometimes a demonstration of what two determined, horny guys could do with each other in total darkness. This time, Jason glanced away, a fleeting look of what seemed suspiciously close to pain washing over his face.

Tommy laid a hand on his shoulder. "Bro …"

"Don't," Jason interrupted him and stood abruptly. "I – I need some air." He hurried outside, the door falling shut behind him with a soft 'snick'. Tommy sighed, half exasperated, half panicked. He could understand that the situation with his parents weighed heavily on Jason's mind, but why was he shutting him out? He _wanted _to help, but how could he if Jason wouldn't let him?

Tommy waited several minutes, then slowly went after his lover. He found Jason on the edge of the porch, staring into the darkness of the forest beyond. The light above the door made a curtain out of the gushing rain, silhouetting Jason's broad frame from behind, and Tommy's heart clenched as he recognized the dejection in his posture. On silent feet, he stepped up close behind Jason and gently placed his hands on his shoulders. Jason tensed slightly, but at least he didn't shrug off the light touch. Thinking that a massage might do him good, Tommy began to knead the knotted muscles with gentle strokes.

"Did you know I've made a habit of coming out here when it's raining like this?" Tommy murmured. "I'm always reminded of the night you told me you loved me – you were standing almost in this very spot when we kissed for the first time. Remember?" The memory brought a smile to his lips that was audible in his voice.

Jason said nothing at first, then sighed. "Yeah." Then, in a voice laden with guilt, "I railroaded you."

"No, you didn't," Tommy protested immediately. "Surprised the hell out of me, yeah. But once I got over my surprise, I just kept asking myself how I could've missed what we mean to each other for all those years."

"Oh."

"Uh huh."

Tommy continued his careful massage. He could feel a minute softening of the tension in the flesh under his hands, but still Jason wouldn't look at him. At last, he spoke again.

"Did you ever regret it?"

"Never." Tommy could answer that question without any hesitation whatsoever. "Not admitting that I love you, kissing you _or _becoming lovers." An unpleasant thought popped into his mind. "Why – do you?"

Jason sighed deeply and finally turned around. Tommy folded him into his arms and hugged him, feeling immensely grateful that Jason didn't resist, just laid his forehead against his neck in a weary gesture.

"_Do_ you regret it?" Tommy asked again, masking the sudden fear in his voice as best he could. "Do you regret … _us_?"

A shudder shook Jason's whole body. "I … this past month, I've sometimes wanted to say yes," he confessed hoarsely at last. "Just so I could go home and tell Dad I made a mistake, that I wasn't going to be with you anymore. Only … I can't." He sighed forlornly. "I love you, and nothing's gonna change that."

It was what Tommy wanted, _needed _to hear, but the defeated tone and the hurt expression in the dark eyes when Jason finally looked at him sent a wave of helplessness through him; he had to swallow hard a couple of times before he could answer.

"God, Jase … I wish I could tell you that everything's going to be okay, but …"

"You can't. Nobody can … just as I can't lie about loving you."

"Yeah."

"I just wish it didn't hurt so much," Jason whispered with another shudder, his deep voice cracking. Closing his eyes in pained sympathy, Tommy did the only thing he could – he carefully tightened his embrace.

"I love you, too, Jase," he murmured, nearly choking on the words. It would have to be enough for now.

---

Jason left Reefside after lunchtime the next day, still depressed and unwilling to share anything beyond what he'd revealed the night before. Tommy prayed that he would reach home without another accident and only breathed easier when Jason gave him a brief call once he'd arrived.

Tommy tried to concentrate on his lesson plans, but was unable to focus – he kept thinking about Jason, and how much he was hurting. He knew he wasn't responsible, but the cause of Jason's pain _was _directly related to their relationship, so Tommy couldn't help feeling guilty anyway. Telling himself that giving in to that feeling would do nothing to help Jason also proved to be an exercise in futility.

Finally giving up on his work, Tommy poured himself a drink, sat on his couch and stared unseeingly into the dark fireplace. The alcohol burned as it slid down his throat, but the warmth collecting in his stomach did nothing to dispel the chill around his heart. Jason needed help – and the more he thought about it, the more certain Tommy became that _he _needed help, too. Or he'd fail Jason for sure.

Briefly, he considered calling on their friends and former teammates, but … they didn't even know yet that they were lovers, and Jason was understandably wary to risk yet another rejection from someone he cared about.

_-Ideally, we'd need to talk to another same-sex couple; someone who's come out and has dealt with such a situation. Maybe hearing about __their u/ __ experience could give us some insight in how to handle this …-_

The problem was, neither Tommy nor Jason knew another gay couple. It would have to be someone at least close to their own age, preferably male … someone they could trust and who could understand how brotherly love and shared experiences could grow into a bond much deeper than friendship.

_-Pity there ain't nobody like that in Angel Grove or Reefside,- _Tommy reflected rather grimly. _-Besides, what we'd really need would be another Ranger couple. Where the hell would I go looking for __that__?-_

The answer presented itself with such suddenness and clarity, Tommy jerked up from his slouch with wide eyes, nearly dropping his glass. "Of course!"

A quick glance at his watch showed that if he hurried, the time would be just decent enough to make a late call. Before he could change his mind, Tommy reached for the phone. The number he wanted was still programmed, although it had been years since he'd used it. At the last minute, he hesitated. They barely knew each other, there was the matter of some unpleasant history, it could make all four of them rather uncomfortable … _-Shit_, _they might not even __want__ to get involved!-_ Determinedly, he shook off his negative thoughts. _-Doesn't matter. For Jason, I can live with more than feeling a little awkward!- _He dialed.

Several rings later, while Tommy was impatiently drumming his fingers, the other side was picked up and a cheerful voice answered. Tommy drew a deep breath.

"Wes? Tommy Oliver here. I need your help."

---

As his car ate the miles to Silver Hills, Tommy tried to marshal his thoughts into an acceptable argument on what exactly he was going to tell Wes. And, come to think of it, probably Eric, too. He didn't relish the idea of involving the Quantum Ranger with his problem, but given that his relationship with Wes Collins was the main reason why he'd asked _them _for advice instead of anyone else, he couldn't very well complain.

_-I can't let Jason's past involvement with Eric stop me from getting help, no matter how much I wish they hadn't had that one-night stand.- _ He sighed, reminding himself to keep at least part of his attention on the road. _-What the hell. I'd ask Rita, Zedd and Mondo if I thought they knew how to help Jason. Only – I just wish I knew what __kind__ of help I'm asking for!-_

They'd assumed that their coming out as a couple might not go over all _that_ easily with their families, but had still hoped that there would be no really major scenes. After all, not everything could go as smoothly as it had with Hayley and Trent. Tommy smiled as he recalled the scene.

XxX

Jason had suggested meeting for lunch at the Cyber Café on the day he'd had his job interview with the Brookhill school board, and had already been waiting there when Tommy came in after classes. Trent's presence was a surprise, as he was supposed to be away at college, but Tommy couldn't care less – all he wanted to know was whether Jason had managed to get the job so that they finally could start living together.

"Well?" he'd asked impatiently after a quick greeting all round.

Jason had looked at him solemnly. "It's bad news, I'm afraid, Bro."

Tommy had felt himself deflate like a pricked balloon. "Damn. Really?"

"Yeah. I'm truly sorry, but now it's up to you."

Trying not to let his disappointment crush him, Tommy had sunk onto a chair next to his partner. "Shit. Oh well, it can't be helped. You said it was a long shot anyway." He summoned a smile. "Guess it's my turn now to start looking for an opportunity."

Eyes downcast, Jason had played with his fork. "Maybe Trent and his friends can help you, if they have the time this summer."

"I don't think I want to wait until summer," Tommy had protested. "The sooner I start, the better my chances will be!"

"Help with what?" Trent had interrupted at the same time as Hayley asked, "Chances for what?"

He'd shrugged. "Looking for a job closer to, if not in Angel Grove."

The redhead stared at him, surprised. "You're moving away?!? Why?"

"Yeah, and how can _we _help with that?" Trent was clearly confused. "I mean, not that we wouldn't be happy to, but …"

Before Tommy could reply, Jason spoke up. "Actually, what you could do is help Tommy and me move furniture."

"I guess …" Trent clearly was having visions of trying to shift the heavy oak desk Tommy was using from the den and of having to fill a large moving van. "Wouldn't professionals be better?"

"Oh, it won't be that hard," Jason said blithely. "After all, it's not that many pieces, and I don't think it's too far to the shed."

"Shed? What shed?" Puzzled, Tommy stared at his lover.

"The one in your back yard," Jason said innocently. "Or did you plan to just throw your furniture away?"

"No, I …" Suddenly, Jason's expression registered, and Tommy looked at him suspiciously as his heartbeat sped up. "What, exactly, do you think is going into the shed?!?"

The grin spreading over the handsome face was answer enough; so was the sudden sparkle in the dark eyes. "Jase …!" Tommy warned/pleaded.

Jason had laughed then. "Why, that old bed, the bookshelf and whatever else you're keeping in the spare bedroom," he said. "After all, I'm gonna need _some_ room for mystuff!"

"What?"

Tommy had found his hand covered with a firm, warm grip. "I've got the job. I'll be moving in with you this summer."

"Aw, man!" Promising Jason with a look that he could expect some major retaliation for that little stunt – most likely in the bedroom, and in the _very _near future, Tommy let happiness overwhelm him. Not caring that they had witnesses, he'd reached out and drawn Jason into a fierce hug that was returned just as fervently. "I can't believe it! Really?"

"Really, Bro."

"Awesome!"

They'd embraced for at least a full minute before Tommy became aware of his surroundings again. Reluctantly, he'd let go of Jason … looked up and met Hayley's quizzical gaze. Next to her, Trent was doing his best to scrape his jaw off the floor. "Uh …"

"You're gonna move to Reefside? And you'll be living with Doctor O.?" Ignoring his former teacher and team mate for the time being, the young man had focused solely on Jason, his eyes darting from one man to the other and back. "As in … living _together_?" The emphasis and 'air quotes' Trent signed with his fingers made the meaning quite clear. Jason and Tommy shared a rueful look – it seemed that they'd inadvertently given themselves away in their enthusiasm. Well, it hardly mattered; they'd planned on telling Tommy's friends eventually anyway.

"Yes," Jason had confirmed quietly while Tommy nodded.

"Whoa," Trent gulped, blushing. To his credit, he didn't look away.

"That explains … a lot," Hayley had said, her lips twitching. Clearly, she was remembering certain computer files she'd found once on Tommy's PC, and on realizing that Tommy's face promptly turned as red as his erstwhile uniform. She'd snickered unrepentantly, making Tommy groan and hide his face. But it was obvious that whatever else she might have been feeling, she did not disapprove. Jason gave her a grateful look, then turned towards the wide-eyed Trent.

"Is that going to be a problem for you and your friends?"

The young man visibly collected himself, considered briefly, then shook his head. "Nah. Not for me, anyway – and I think Kira, Conner and Ethan will be okay with it, too. Once Conner gets over the shock, that is," he'd grinned. "Doctor O., you want me to tell him? That way you'll be spared his nosy questions!"

Tommy shuddered as he remembered some of Conner's blithely tactless – but never mean-spirited – comments and questions from the past. " Would you? I'd appreciate it, Trent. Thank you."

"Hey, it's seldom enough that I get to spread some juicy news – and this is _way _juicy!"

"As long as you break it to your father in an … let's say 'appropriate' fashion."

"Sure. Although I don't think he'll be very surprised." It was Tommy's turn to look startled, and Trent's grin was wickedly innocent. "Just wait and see."

Jason sent Tommy a rueful glance. "Uh-oh. I think we're well and truly busted, Bro."

"Looks that way," Tommy sighed comically.

Meanwhile, Hayley had come up to stand between Tommy and Jason, her expression neutral. "So – I guess congratulations are in order?"

Jason had smiled at her. "Yes, but – hold the thought, please? We're not making it official yet until we've told our folks."

"Sure." But she'd given them both hugs and sincere wishes.

XxX

_-Nothing ever fazes Hayley.-_

Which was what had made her such a good ally to have during the Dino Thunder period, Tommy knew. Of course, the matter hadn't rested at that; there'd been questions and comments aplenty later, but in all, Tommy was glad to know that he had Hayley's support and approval. However, she was not someone he could go to with his current problem – and the 'kids', as he still thought of his last team, weren't the ones, either. There really was no one but Wes and Eric.

_-Speaking of which …-_

The exit sign for Silver Hills was just ahead, and Tommy left the highway. There was a restaurant and gas station, and he decided to make one last stop for a restroom visit and maybe some coffee. It would also be a chance to program his GPS with Eric's address; he hated having it turned on when he already knew a route, but it would be better to follow directions than try to read the printout he'd gotten off the internet.

---

"Tell me again why Tommy's coming?" Eric asked Wes as he quickly changed out of his uniform into more casual jeans and a t-shirt. Wes had come straight from a business meeting and only had to lose his tie and jacket to be comfortable.

His partner and lover shrugged. "He said he needed help – and that it was personal. Wouldn't say what with over the phone, but I got a feeling he really was at his wits' end."

"Hmph." Eric grunted and perfunctorily ran a comb through his hair. "Why here, though?" He didn't actually _say_ he resented the intrusion into his privacy, but Wes knew him well enough to realize that having a visitor who knew they were lovers was making him uncomfortable. To Eric, it was enough that Mr. Collins and his fiancée were aware of his relationship with Wes; if the Red Ranger mission to the moon and Dr. Zaskin's joint research project with Anton Mercer into the effects of morphing on the human body hadn't brought his past connection with Jason to light, Wes was sure he'd never have told anyone else.

"Privacy," he said and gave his partner an apologetic smile. "Look, I didn't want to keep this meeting from you – in fact, I planned from the start to bring you in on it, and neither our office nor the house seemed appropriate to what I think might be a sensitive discussion. You don't mind, do you?"

Sighing, Eric made a conscious effort to get past his pique. If _Doctor _Oliver didn't like his rather plain, small house, to hell with him. "Not really, no. I just thought we'd seen the last of 'em."

"The last of Jason, you mean?" Wes grinned and followed Eric out into the living room. "Who says this has to do with Jason anyway?"

"Call it a hunch," Eric said dryly.

"So what? Even if we do, I know I can handle meeting him once more – and besides, didn't you say you'd cleared the air between you?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I necessarily want to run into him _again_," Eric grumbled. "Once was more than enough, thank you very much. I can do without any more of his smartass remarks." He smothered a grin; to tell the truth, he'd rather enjoyed Jason's sometimes wicked sense of humor – as long as it wasn't directed at _him_, that is. "Why the hell is Tommy coming to _us _for help, anyway? Don't they have friends of their own?"

"I know exactly as much as I told you," Wes replied. "You'll have to ask Tommy himself."

"If he ever gets here. He's late. Man, I hate unpunctuality!"

"Actually, he's right on time." Indeed, a car pulled up at the fence that very moment, and only seconds later Eric saw a tall figure get out of the black jeep and open the front gate. Even to someone who didn't know him well, the serious look on his face spoke volumes – even more so than during their tactics session on board the Megaship. "He does seem ratherfrazzled. I wonder why."

"So ask him." Eric squared his shoulders and schooled his own expression to carefully neutral. So Tommy knew about him and Wes. Big deal. He had the same secret to keep, so it was unlikely he'd go blabbing to anyone. He'd spill his guts, get some advice from Wes and be on his merry way, hopefully forever. There was a knock on the door, and with a deep breath Eric went to open it. "Hello, Tommy."

---

The three men sat around the coffee table, drinks at hand, but the atmosphere was anything but convivial. Tommy was too visibly nervous, Eric was doing his damnedest not to be sarcastic or outright hostile, and only Wes was at least trying to make conversation. But even his social skills, honed over years of attending much larger gatherings in his father's house and during business meetings at Bio-Lab, finally failed and an uncomfortable silence settled over them. Getting fed up at last, Eric set his glass down with a loud clatter, drawing two pairs of startled eyes towards him.

"Let's stop all this pussyfooting," he growled. "You told Wes you needed help – so, are you gonna tell us what with, or do we sit on our asses until we figure it out by ourselves?" _-Not that it's gonna be all that difficult,- _he thought; _-since it's 'personal' and not Ranger-related and you're in a relationship with another guy, it __has__ to have to do with Jason. Great.- _

Tommy sighed, torn between a fresh case of nerves – _was_ he doing the right thing by asking these two men who hardly knew him and Jason? – and sheer relief at being forced to speak at last by Eric's impatience. "No, I do want your help … or advice, at least," he murmured. "Um, I told Wes it's personal …"

"Yes, you did," Wes replied, shooting his partner a look that said 'be nice'. Rolling his eyes at the silent message, Eric nodded imperceptibly and leaned back with an exasperated sigh. "Do you want Eric to leave?" Wes asked next, acknowledging his partner's muttered "Fat chance!" with a small smile and reassuring headshake.

Tommy chose to disregard Eric's indignant comment and shook his head 'no' after only a moment's reflection.

"No, it's okay. You'd only tell him anyway, right?"

"Are you implying Wes couldn't keep a secret if you asked him to?" Eric snapped.

"I didn't mean it that way, sorry," Tommy said quickly. "It's just … shit, I hardly know where to start," he muttered, rubbing his neck.

"Try at the beginning," Eric suggested dryly, in the same voice he normally used for a rookie Guardian about to make his first official report to his commanding officer. Stern, no-nonsense, but not unfriendly. Wes hid a grin. "Just don't take all day."

Tommy chuckled without humor. "Yeah, well, this isn't as easy as I thought it would be." He drew a fortifying breath. "Okay. First off, it's not _me_ I need help for, it's Jason. Or rather, I could use some help helping _him_," he amended after a moment's reflection.

"Told you so," Eric muttered under his breath, casting a side-long glance at his lover who was still intently listening to Tommy. Their visitor apparently hadn't even noticed the interruption.

"Why, what's wrong?" Wes wanted to know. "He isn't sick or anything, is he?"

"No. I wish it were that simple."

Getting impatient, Eric reached for his drink again and took a sip. "Just spill it, man."

Tommy leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. "Right. I … you know that Jason's got a job teaching in Angel Grove at our old high school, right? I think we also told you last time that we've been alternating visits every two weeks for a few years now … anyway, we decided earlier this year that we were getting sick of only having weekends and vacations together. Like it was stolen time, and all that jazz … but long story short, Jase found out that Brookhill, a town close to Reefside, is starting up a new high school in this fall and that they were looking for a Head of Athletics. It was kind of a long shot, but he got the job, and now we can move in together at last."

Wes whistled, impressed. "That's quite a good career move for him, too, isn't it? He's how old – thirty?"

"Since early spring this year, yes. And yeah."

"So where's the problem?" Eric asked. In a way, he almost felt a little jealous of how easily Jason and Tommy could make that decision, as if it wasn't a big deal at all. _-Well … maybe for them, it isn't.- _On the other hand … Tommy wouldn't have come here, asking for help, if things weregoing as smoothly as his rather factual report implied. He was also beginning to get an idea where this might be leading. Not unsurprisingly, Tommy confirmed his suspicion.

"Well … we thought it might be the right time to tell our families about us," he said quietly. "Not that there's _ever_ a 'right' time to tell one's parents that you've chosen to live with another man, I guess, but …"

Wes winced, remembering his father's reaction to his own coming out. "I take it things didn't go well?"

Tommy shrugged and sighed again. "My parents took it calmly enough, considering. To be honest, they didn't exactly jump for joy, but after the initial shock wore off and they realized I'm serious, they accepted my decision. After all, what they want most for me is that I'm happy, that I'd find someone to love and who loved me. If that person was going to be Jason … they already knew and liked him, knew that we were as close as could be already … in the end, they wished us well."

"That must've been a relief," Wes commented a little enviously.

"It was … until we went to see Jason's parents." Tommy wearily rubbed his hands across his face.

"Let me guess – they threw a fit?" Eric surmised.

"You could say that." Laughing without humor, Tommy drained his glass.

"So what happened? Major shouting match, or what?"

"I wish it were that simple," Tommy replied, absently toying with his glass as he remembered. "Telling my folks came about kinda naturally; Mom was nagging me a little over breakfast to find someone to settle down with, one thing led to another, and I told them. When Jase came by later, the worst was already over. That same afternoon, we went to see the Scotts' – and had to bring it up the hard way."

"Meaning what?"

"You know – 'you better sit down, we've got to tell you something'. There really was no easy way, so Jason just told them outright – that he's known for years that he's bisexual, that we've been lovers since '04, and that we're going to live together. Basically, he presented it as a _fait accompli_."

"Must've gone over real well with his folks," Eric said, for once almost glad that he had no family. He remembered too well how hard Mr. Collins' disapproval had been on his partner – even though he'd realized he'd _had _to know – and how long it had taken his boss to come around and accept what was.

"It didn't. Jason's mother started crying, which was difficult enough for Jase, but we'd sort of prepared ourselves for that. I mean, we'd tried to imagine all kinds of reactions, and that was one of 'em. But Jason's father … he just stared at him for the longest time, then simply got up and went out. Never said a word."

"That's hardly surprising," Wes mused. "It's a pretty common way of reacting to unexpected – and unwelcome – news."

"Uh huh. At first, we didn't think too much of it; sure, Jason was shocked and disappointed, but he tried to calm down his mother first. After an hour or so, he went after his Dad to try and explain … and John walked out on him again. Didn't look at him, didn't speak to him – nothing. And it's been that way ever since. Jase has tried time and again to see him, to talk to him, but his father acts as if Jase doesn't exist."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. We gave it some time, thought that after a while Jason's dad would at least say something, anything, but his reaction – or lack of it – hasn't changed at all. John doesn't talk _to _Jason, doesn't talk _about _him anymore, doesn't answer the phone, deletes messages unread … he's just cut him off completely." Tommy shook his head wearily. "Jason was devastated. Still is. And the last straw came about a couple of weeks later. His parents were out of town for a business trip – John runs a construction company – so Jase tried to get some stuff from his room and leave a letter for his mother. The locks had been changed."

"Oh boy. Dad had a major problem accepting I was gay, but at least he never kicked me out like that," Wes replied, his voice full of sympathy.

Tommy shrugged. "We could've dealt with that; it was one thing we _had _anticipated. But we hadn't counted on such a complete withdrawal, and it's what's making the situation so unbearable for Jason. He used to be so close to his dad … how can you argue, shit, how can you _defend _your decision if the other person isn't willing to talk or even look at you anymore? There's just this blank wall, with no point to breach or scale it because John isn't giving us such a point. And it's getting to Jason so much that now _he's _completely withdrawing into himself as well. That's not like him – and it's scaring me shitless. How can I help him if he doesn't let me?"

"How about his mother?" Before his partner could comment, Eric spoke up. "What's her position now?"

"Helen is caught between a rock and a hard place," Tommy explained. "She's a long way from accepting us, but she doesn't want to lose her son. She came to Jason's place a few days later and told him so. Only … she _also _said that she absolutely can't go against John's wishes, because he _is _her husband – and because he has a heart condition nobody knew about. Nothing immediately life-threatening, but if Jason should insist on a confrontation …" He spread his hands expressively. "You can imagine how Jason took _that _bit of news."

"Blackmail, you mean," Eric growled. He met two pairs of slightly shocked eyes defiantly. "That's what it amounts to, doesn't it? In effect, she's telling Jason to either give up your relationship or give up on his family. Because if he doesn't, he might kill his father. Pretty much spells emotional blackmail to _me_."

"I guess," Tommy conceded reluctantly. "I doubt Jason sees it quite that way, but …"

"But he's still put into an untenable position." Frowning, Wes tried to look at the problem from all sides. "No matter what choice he makes, it's going to be the wrong one. Either way, he'll end up hurting someone he loves."

"Exactly. He even told me he's seriously considered breaking up with me, only couldn't bring himself to do it. I've never been more grateful in my life."

"I can imagine." Wes shared a look with Eric and briefly reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. In his darkest hours, he'd contemplated the same thing once or twice … and had come to the same conclusion as Jason. The man he loved meant more to him than his father's disapproval. Silence settled between the three men until Eric broke it at last.

"So why come to us?" he asked a little gruffly. "What do you expect _us_ to do?"

"Expect … nothing," Tommy murmured. "I just needed to talk to someone who I could trust and be sure would understand – and quite frankly, you're the only other same-sex couple I know." He met his hosts' eyes with painful honesty. "Is there _any _advice you can give me?" he asked. "Jason's crawled so far into a shell, he's not eating right, he's hardly talking … half the time, he won't even let me touch him," he said in a muted whisper. On impulse, he added, "We haven't been together – intimate – since that weekend." Tommy felt himself blush at the very personal admission, but didn't care.

"You came all the way here just because you aren't getting laid anymore?" Eric said without thinking, more to cover his sympathy and compassion at Tommy's obvious misery than out of any real desire to mock him.

"Eric!" Wes exclaimed with a slightly shocked, disapproving look at the uncharacteristic rudeness. He knew Eric could be snarky, but he wasn't usually mean – and this remark definitely crossed the line.

"If that's supposed to be funny, I'm not laughing," Tommy rebuked him quietly, his eyes blazing momentarily with hurt defiance. "That's _not _why I came to see you guys."

"Sorry," Eric muttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. He really ought not to have said that, and both Wes and Tommy were right to call him on it. "Didn't mean that the way it sounded," he added somewhat lamely. _-Seems I've just had an attack of foot-in-mouth disease. Damn.-_

Tommy accepted the grudging apology with a nod. "To answer your question, though – yes, I miss making love with Jason. But most of all, I miss _sharing _with him; as I said, he's not really communicating with me anymore. And there's other things, too – he almost wrecked his car on the road to Reefside a while ago, and treats it like it's nothing. I'm afraid he's gonna injure himself some day if he doesn't deal with the situation somehow." He took a deep breath. "Guys, I'm getting desperate here. What _can _I do to help Jason?"

"Well … I suppose I could speak to him about how things went between me and my Dad," Wes suggested rather dubiously after a brief pause. "It wasn't the same situation, though, and I kind of doubt it'll help, but I can at least try if you think it's worth the effort."

"I don't know, but would you?" Tommy said gratefully. "I'm really at the end of my rope – and I'm thinking that at this point anything is better than doing nothing at all."

"Sure," Wes smiled, then turned towards Eric. "You don't mind, do you?"

The Quantum Ranger was silently staring into the middle distance. Something Tommy had said niggled at the back of his mind, and he was trying to make the connection. At last, it clicked. He got up, went to the window to collect his thoughts away from his lover and their anxious guest, then turned around and focused on Tommy.

"I think Jason needs more than just someone to talk to," he said slowly. "Not that it'd hurt, but … if this is what I think it is, you'll have to get a lot more hands-on."

"No problem, but how? I'll do anything to help him."

"Anything?" Eric repeated with a small, not entirely pleasant smile that sent a skitter of uncertainty down Tommy's spine.

Lightly-slanted black eyes bore into Tommy's brown ones, but his gaze never wavered as he answered.

"Yes. Whatever it takes."

Eric nodded once. "Very well. If you're serious about this –"

"I am."

"Okay. Then _I'll _have to see Jason."

"You? Why?" The surprise in Tommy's voice matched Wes' expression perfectly.

"Because if I'm right, you're probably the last person who can give him what he needs," he stated bluntly, permitting himself a tiny grin. "But I might – and I'm willing to try, if you give me your word you won't interfere."

Jealousy flared as images of what Eric and Jason had once shared flashed through Tommy's mind. Surely Eric wasn't implying that he – _-Nah. He's too committed to Wes. I think. Surely he wouldn't …- _Ruthlessly, Tommy smothered the unpleasant thought. He'd meant what he'd said – he'd do anything to help Jason. Literally. If whatever Eric was planning worked, he'd deal with the aftermath later. _-As long as it brings Jason back from that dark place he's in.- _He swallowed any further objections and inclined his head.

"I promise. Just … make it soon, okay?"

"Very well." Eric held out his hand, and after only a second's hesitation, Tommy shook it, sealing the bargain.

"Thanks."

Wes, who had been watching the two intently, smiled in relief. He was honestly glad that Eric had offered to help, even though he shared some of the misgivings he'd read in Tommy. But Jason _was _a friend of sorts, to both of them – if only because he was, after all, a fellow Red Ranger. Besides, he trusted his partner.

"Now that that's settled, care to let us in on your plan?" he asked curiously.

Eric's smile widened in a way that set alarm bells off in both Wes and Tommy's minds. Casually refilling his drink, Eric lifted the glass in a silent salute and took a sip. "Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because neither one of you is gonna like what I have in mind. Least of all Jason."

_To Be Continued …_


	13. The Price of Love 2

_**Disclaimer: **__As usual …_

_**Note: **__In response to the PRSW 22 challenge on LiveJournal, themes__#06, family; #13, loss and #18, rock. This is the second in what I've now decided will be a three-chapter arc. Many thanks to Cmar for permission to draw on Wes and Eric's backstory from her "Turns In The Road" series, the beta, comments and helpful suggestions. You rock, lady! – Hopefully I'll see you guys next chapter; enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 12: The Price of Love, Pt. 2**

Memorial Day weekend.

For the last few years, the date had held nothing but extremely pleasant memories for Tommy, as it marked the anniversary of the first time he and Jason had made love. If they could, they always went back to his uncle's cabin in the mountains, where 'they' had _truly _begun. This year, though …

This year, he was sick with worry. About Jason's general state of mind, and whether their relationship would even survive the holiday.

_-Depending on what Eric has planned … will it really help Jason? And if it doesn't, will he ever forgive me for bringing outsiders in?-_

He didn't know, and it set his nerves on edge. Thus he was yea-close to pacing the porch in front of his house when he heard Jason's car pull into the driveway at last. Forcing himself to walk at a normal pace, Tommy went to greet his friend. A surreptitious glance showed that the dent in the right fender still hadn't been fixed, but the stormy expression on Jason's face made Tommy swallow any remark. Instead, he greeted him as naturally as he could manage.

"Hey, Bro!"

Jason just growled and slammed the door shut with unnecessary force before stomping up the few steps.

Wisely, Tommy refrained from trying to hug him. He supposed _any _emotion was better than the stony withdrawal of the last couple of months, but he knew Jason – his temper, usually tightly under control, was seriously riled and barely held in check. Under the circumstances, Tommy feared an explosion at the slightest provocation. "What's up?" he asked mildly.

With a muttered curse, Jason threw his duffle bag into a corner. "We lost the Stone Canyon game."

"Oh hell," Tommy groaned. "What happened?" Traditionally, championship game or not, the friendly rivalry between Angel Grove and Stone Canyon was _the _highlight of the high school sports season, no matter in which discipline. With Jason as coach, no game had ever been lost – until now.

Frustratedly, Jason ran his hands through his hair. "I had to suspend the quarterback and two other key players from the game because they didn't pull a B grade average as I'd told them they'd have to. Consequently, we lost – and now most everybody is saying it's _my _fault; that I should've let them play regardless."

"That's stupid," Tommy immediately took his side. "I mean, sure, winning is great and sports isvaluable, if only to get college scholarships for gifted athletes, but it _can't _be more important than schoolwork!"

"Tell that to the vice principal and at least half the parents."

The two teachers shared an exasperated look. "What _is _it with some people, anyway?" Tommy groused. "I guess I'm lucky; most of my science students aren't that much into athletics, but every now and then there's another Conner McKnight in my classes, and it's always a struggle to get them to see reason. Man, _we _used to be seriously into our sports, and we still managed to keep our grades up!"

With an effort, Jason put a lid on his black mood and grinned wryly. "Yeah, well, we also weren't _quite _the stereotypical jocks. Maybe karate gave us more discipline than football or basketball are giving these kids."

"That, and both our senseis would've had our asses otherwise," Tommy snorted. "Not to mention our parents." The instant the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back, but too late. What little animation he'd seen in his lover's eyes just a second ago drained away like water down a sink.

"Yeah," Jason murmured tonelessly and turned away, his face once more pale and drawn.

"Bro, I'm sorry," Tommy said contritely. "I didn't mean to …"

"Forget it. Just … don't, okay?"

There was no need to ask what that 'don't' meant. _Don't mention my parents. Don't feel pity. Don't make me remember. _For the umpteenth time, Tommy felt that it wasn't a healthy reaction; they really ought to talk it out – and thus maybe lance that festering sore in Jason's mind – but he also couldn't bring himself to disregard his lover's wishes.

"Sure," he agreed quietly instead, hoping that the visit he'd secretly planned with Wes and Eric for the next day might prove to be the catalyst that brought everything out into the open. _-Just as long as it doesn't turn into the opposite – complete disaster. __Have__ I done the right thing by going to them for help?- _He could no longer tell, although at the time it had felt like the right choice. _-Hell, it was the __only__ choice, asking __someone__ for advice; I'm still sure of that much. And who else is there? No-one, that's who.- _Still, he couldn't help getting increasingly nervous.

As the evening passed, Jason calmed down again to the point where he wasn't completely avoiding Tommy anymore, but as it had become his habit recently, he wouldn't initiate touching, wouldn't talk much … in short, he was still withdrawn and quiet. Too quiet.

---

After a night spent once more on opposite sides of the bed, Saturday dawned clear and calm. The two men busied themselves during the morning by mowing Tommy's front lawn and setting up patio furniture just below the porch, but their usual banter was missing. Jason's mood still vacillated from frustrated to depressed, and as the day wore on, Tommy's doubts returned with a vengeance. Wes had suggested they drop by unannounced sometime after lunch, using a business trip as their excuse. With the sun reaching zenith, his and Eric's arrival was imminent – and right now, Jason was entering an irritable phase again, snapping at every little thing.

_-Damn, why did I forget to ask Wes for his cell number?- _Tommy castigated himself. He still hoped that talking to the other couple might somehow help his lover, but right now it looked as if the visit's timing couldn't have been worse. _-If I had a way of reaching Eric or Wes, I'd ask them to postpone …-_

No sooner had he formed the thought, he noticed a black SUV bumping along the road from Reefside, with a dark blond head at the wheel. Tommy swallowed a sigh. Time to face the music.

"Hey, Jase, we got visitors," he called with a cheerfulness he was far from feeling across the yard where Jason was rolling up the garden hose. "Aw, man, it's Wes and Eric!" Inwardly, he groaned. _-Could I sound any __more__ fake?-_

Slowly, Jason straightened and walked back towards the porch. "What are _they _doing here?" he muttered, clearly anything but pleased.

"I dunno. But I'm sure they'll tell us," Tommy said casually as he stepped down into the driveway. "Come on, let's say hi."

Sighing resentfully, Jason followed him slowly.

---

"Jason doesn't exactly look thrilled that we're here," Wes remarked after a critical glance through the windscreen as he parked the car.

"About as much as I am at coming here," Eric grumbled. "Shit, it's a crazy idea to start with."

Surprised, Wes looked at his partner. "I thought you knew how to get through to him?"

"I don't exactly 'know'," Eric said grimly. "I just _think _I do. Doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it." Forestalling another question, he yanked open the SUV's door and swung his legs to the ground. "Just let's get this over with."

"Whatever you say," Wes murmured. He still didn't know what Eric's plans were, and it worried him slightly – especially as Eric had made him promise not to interfere.

"Interfere with _what_?" he'd asked, but Eric had just smiled in a way that had done nothing to reassure him; it was an expression usually reserved for major felons about to be taken down by the Silver Guardians.

"When the time is right, you'll know." Wes had had to be content with that.

Shrugging inwardly, he summoned a cheery smile from somewhere and got out of the car as well. "Hey, guys!"

Tommy greeted him with a handshake and a slightly forced grin.

"Hey, yourself. Selves," he amended, offering his hand to Eric as well who shook it perfunctorily. "What brings you to Reefside?"

"Business," Eric replied curtly at the same time as Wes launched into a lengthier explanation.

"We had to check out some new training equipment for the Guardians," he said lightly. "The company manufacturing it is situated in Sacramento, and since this is a holiday weekend, we decided to take a few days off and go together – make a little road trip out of it. We were just driving down the coast when we saw the sign to Reefside and thought we could maybe bum a cup of coffee or something from you guys if you happened to be home. And take a look at your headquarters, perhaps – we never had one ourselves, just the stuff Jen and the others could carry from the Time Ship. So here we are," Wes finished cheerfully. He'd stretched the truth just enough to sound plausible – their supplier _was _in Sacramento, there _was _an exit to Reefside on the highway, but they could just as easily have either delegated the task or taken care of it by fax and email. He just hoped that Jason wouldn't recognize the ruse.

"Cool," Tommy said. "Coffee we can do, no problem; I'll start a pot right away. And I'd love to show you the lair."

"Great!" Even Eric looked interested, if not as enthusiastic as Wes.

"It's good to see you guys again; it's been way too long," Tommy continued with an enthusiasm that was only partially faked. This was exactly what he'd mentioned to Jason before things went to hell in a handbasket – spontaneously socializing with other people. True, their visitors _were _fellow Rangers still, but it was a start. _-If only Jase could enjoy it as much as I do … well, if talking to Wes – or whatever Eric has planned – helps, maybe it will!- _That hope made him say way too brightly, "I can't believe you're here – it's gonna be nice for a change to have company with whom you don't have to watch your mouth about Ranger stuff!"

Wes grinned. "Yeah, I can see how that could be a problem for you. We're lucky in that regard."

"Uh huh." Realizing that he was coming dangerously close to babbling, Tommy caught himself. "So take a seat; coffee will be ready in no time, and then I'll give you the grand tour, okay?

Wes exchanged a glance with Eric, who shrugged. "If it doesn't inconvenience you …"

_-That was almost too easy!- _Relieved, Tommy smiled. "Nope. Be back in a second. Jase, why don't you show Eric and Wes around while I'm in the kitchen?"

"Sure," Jason muttered, not looking at anyone. He was totally not in the mood to make small talk, especially not with one of his former sex partners, and he definitely resented the intrusion into his and Tommy's privacy. Never mind feeling more than slightly steam-rolled. Only his ingrained good manners made him refrain from saying so.

"Fine by me," Wes replied. "Eric?"

"Whatever." The almost-hostile tone succeeded where Wes' politeness had failed – Jason shot Eric an irritated glance that was returned with a grin bordering on a smirk. Even Wes and Tommy looked slightly scandalized.

"Um, right," Tommy said hurriedly, to cover the awkward silence that had fallen over the foursome, exchanging a puzzled look with Wes who shrugged almost imperceptibly. He was as much in the dark as their host, after all – he only hoped whatever his partner had planned wouldn't turn out to be _too _unpleasant for all concerned. Tommy sighed helplessly. Eric seemed determined to be an ass, and as Jason apparently insisted on ignoring everybody as much as possible …

_-Oh hell. Looks like it's gonna be a __long__ afternoon!-_

"Take a load off, why don't you," he suggested. "Bro, can you get some water or whatever for everybody while the coffee drips?"

Nodding indifferently, Jason silently vanished into the kitchen.

"You're right, he _is _bad off," Wes murmured to Tommy when he was out of earshot. "I thought you might've exaggerated … I hardly know Jason, but even I can see that he's not himself."

"Told you," Tommy murmured back, busying himself with opening an umbrella to cast some shade over the seating area. "I would never have asked for your help otherwise."

"Is the situation with his folks all that's bugging him?" Eric asked suddenly, and Tommy started at his unexpected insight.

"No, there's some job-related stress as well … but later," he interrupted himself hurriedly as Jason came back outside, carrying a cooler with several bottles. "Thanks, Bro."

Jason just shrugged. "I started the coffee, too," he mumbled.

"That's great, thanks."

"Very house-wifely of you," Eric commented idly as he slouched in the comfortable deck chair. "You sure have him trained well, Tommy." Said in another tone, the remark might've been humorous, but Eric just barely missed making it an insult. Jason flushed, but said nothing. Totally at sea, and not a little alarmed, Tommy swallowed an instinctive denial and tried to make light of it.

"Only at my house; when I'm at Jase's, it's usually the other way round."

"Ah, you're taking turns. How … nice." The innuendo was unmistakable, and this time, Eric's expression was definitely a smirk.

Jason's knuckles whitened as he gripped his chair's arm rest. His jaw worked momentarily, but he controlled himself. "Yes. Not that it's any of your business," he said roughly instead.

"Aw, can't take the truth, kid?"

"I think the coffee's ready," Tommy interrupted hastily, and got up to fetch the carafe and four cups. He served all of them, waiting barely until they'd finished their coffees, then practically herded Eric and Wes into his basement. Once there, he calmed down as he started showing off the Dino Lair with considerable pride, finding an interested and appreciative audience in their visitors. Unfortunately, however, the tour relegated Jason purely to the role of spectator. He hadn't been a part of Tommy's last team and knew very little about the equipment, its operation or the ongoing research Tommy was still doing with Hayley in their former Ops center. He was tagging along quietly, occasionally helping Tommy to demonstrate something or other, but it was painfully obvious that he was out of his depth and could be little more than a gofer.

With almost malicious glee, Eric frequently reminded him of that fact. He never said anything belittling or demeaning outright, but there was a definite undercurrent of condescension and pity in every casual remark, in his expression and in the way he acted towards Jason. Enough so that it managed to set Tommy's teeth on edge – and none of it was aimed directly at _him_!

He didn't know what Eric's game plan was; a quick whispered question to Wes had only produced a headshake and helpless shrug, and it was getting to the point where Tommy no longer cared. He'd asked them to come _help _his best friend; from what he could see, Eric's tactics were doing anything but that.

_-I've __got__ to get Jason out of here!-_

So he finished his tour as fast as he could and led everybody upstairs and outside again, heaving a barely-hidden sigh of relief as they stepped once more into the sunshine. Back in the light, he saw with concern that Jason was even paler than before; his hands were shaking slightly and the dark eyes were stormy with suppressed emotion.

_-That's what I wanted, isn't it? For Jase to feel again? Isn't that better than the withdrawn silence he's shown these past weeks?-_

He'd thought so, but now he was no longer sure. The wariness showing in Wes' blue eyes wasn't reassuring, either, and Tommy realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach that all he – or Eric – had accomplished was to light a fuse to a very large powder keg. If it exploded … things weren't going to be pretty. At all. But how could he distract Jason from Eric's insolence (which was deliberate, Tommy was sure) and get to the real purpose of the visit?

Luckily, Wes came to his rescue.

"Quite a set-up you've got here; it's hard to believe you accomplished that much without major funding or a real lab."

"It helps to have a certified genius working with you," Tommy explained with a smile as the four men sat down once more on the comfortable lounge chairs. "You wouldn't _believe _what Hayley can do with very few supplies. It's not quite paper clips and rubber bands, but …"

Wes grinned. "She sounds like a real-life MacGyver."

"It sure felt that way sometimes," Tommy said ruefully. "Only, she has no objections to shooting down the bad guys if necessary."

For the first time in what seemed like hours, Jason contributed to the conversation. "Makes you wonder what she could do together with Billy, doesn't it? Sure, Zordon never hesitated to give him access to all of the Command Center's or later the Power Chamber's resources, but half the time the gadgets he invented to help us came out of his garage lab."

Jason was quite proud of the fact that he managed to keep his voice even; Eric's sly digs had gotten to him more than he cared to admit – his already frayed nerves were yea-close to snapping, and he knew that it was only a matter of time until he couldn't control his temper anymore. _-If Eric makes __one__ more crack about my relationship with Tommy …- _Jason didn't know _what _he'd do, only that it would likely involve inflicting physical mayhem on Eric.

_-Man, he was an asshole when I first met him, but I had no idea he could be __this __bad!-_ He was momentarily distracted by Tommy's cheerful agreement.

"Hell, yeah. Those two, and maybe Justin … we'd have made mincemeat out of all the bad guys within days!"

"If we could've disregarded the 'never escalate a fight unless the enemy forces you to' rule Zordon gave us, you mean," Jason said wryly, then sighed as a familiar wave of sadness and nostalgia washed over him. He knew and accepted why Andros had had to destroy their mentor's warp tube, but sometimes he couldn't help but wish the ancient sage was still around. _-Zordon was like a second father to all of us; if he still lived, maybe he would know how I could deal with … no.- _Resolutely, Jason turned his mind away from that dangerous path. He knew that if he dwelt too long on his situation, he'd break.

"What kind of a stupid-ass rule is that, anyway?" Eric's voice broke into his thoughts. "You fight the bad guys any way you can, and you fight to win. What else is there?"

Stung, Jason glared at the unwelcome visitor. "A small thing like honor, for one," he snapped. "But an asshole like you would hardly know about that, would you?"

"Jason!" Tommy gasped, shocked. He'd never heard his friend be so deliberately nasty to _anyone_, much less a guest and fellow Ranger! But Jason didn't seem to hear him. He was still standing behind his chair, hands balled into fists and breathing hard as his eyes bore into Eric's who matched him stare for stare.

"I know more about it than you can imagine, kiddo," Eric drawled with a mocking grin. "But that's not something I expect a daddy's boy like you to understand."

Jason stiffened at the thinly-veiled insult. He _had _always been 'Daddy's boy', in the best sense of the word, until John Scott had cut his son out of the family, out of his _life_. He had been more than just a father – he'd also been Jason's friend, counselor and confidant. All things Jason had thrown away himself with one simple act – falling in love with another man. That was what had torn him from his family … and what was now slowly tearing him apart, because to choose one love over another was not something Jason could do.

"Shut the fuck up," he grated. "You know _nothing _about me, my life or my f-…" he stopped, pain and fury threatening to overwhelm him.

"Your what?" Eric sneered, slowly rising from his chair. Inwardly, he congratulated himself. He had Jason exactly where he wanted him, and he wasn't going to let him get away. Ruthlessly, he proceeded to push every one of Jason's buttons, demonstrating that he knew far more about his life than Jason had imagined. "Your father? Isn't he gonna hold your hand anymore, little boy? Or is he too busy telling everyone his kid couldn't swing it even as the leader of a dog-catching squad? Is he letting you run away again to another country, or is he too ashamed that you're taking it up the ass from another guy?" Eric gave a short, derisive bark of laughter. "Face it, boy – you're not his perfect baby anymore!"

For a final touch, Eric flipped his hand limply at Jason, finishing the gesture by giving him the finger. "Fuck you, loser. Only I wouldn't, not anymore!" As if he couldn't care less, Eric turned his back on Jason.

It was the final straw. Finally goaded beyond his endurance, already worn to the bone by weeks of self-recrimination, guilt and mental agony over the choices he'd made, Jason snapped. With an incoherent cry of pure rage, he launched himself at his nemesis.

_This_ was what Eric had been waiting for. His negligent attitude had hidden that all his senses were on full alert, he met Jason's flying fists with an easy block, and only laughed mockingly when Jason's momentum almost made him stumble and fall. "What, too clumsy to throw a real punch, boy? No wonder your precious Zordon let you drop like a hot potato when you couldn't cut it as leader of the Rangers anymore!"

Suddenly there was no more time for insults; within seconds, the fight he'd been trying all afternoon to provoke Jason into was well and truly on.

---

Startled, Tommy and Wes jumped up and incredulously stared at their lovers.

"We've got to break them up!" Tommy urged, frantically looking for an opening to do exactly that, but was stopped by Wes' hand on his arm.

"No, wait! Eric told me not to interfere, no matter what happened."

"But he's beating Jason up!"

"Actually, he isn't," Wes said slowly, watching the two intently. "Just look – it's Jason who's the aggressor. Eric's only defending himself."

"What?" Puzzled, Tommy hesitated and took a closer look. The fight was fast and furious – not surprisingly so, as both Eric and Jason were accomplished martial artists. However, it had very little to do with karate or any other style; at best, it could only be classified as an all-out brawl. To his surprise, he saw that Wes was right – it _was _Jason who tried his utmost to pummel his opponent. Eric was merely fending him off … and continued to goad him into even fiercer attacks with more taunts and judicious insults. That didn't mean that Eric wasn't getting in some punches, blows and kicks of his own, but on the whole he was adopting a defensive stance, letting Jason spend his rage and frustration against his skillful blocks. It was painful to watch; the longer he did so, the more Tommy realized that Jason didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. He was too blinded by emotion to be effective, whereas every countermove Eric made came from cool calculation and was designed to keep Jason off balance.

"Kinda like seeing an irresistible force meet the proverbial immovable object, isn't it?" Wes remarked, grimacing as Jason managed to land a kick against Eric's thigh. "Ouch. That must've hurt."

"Yeah," Tommy replied distractedly, too intent on watching. "What is he _doing_?" he wondered, unclear whether he was referring to Jason or Eric.

"I think Eric's trying to make Jason completely blow his stack," Wes speculated. "The way things are going, I'd say he's succeeding."

"Couldn't he have come up with another way?" Seeing that both gave as good as they got and that Jason, while outclassed for once, was in no immediate danger, Tommy gradually began to relax a little. Wes quirked a small grin as he kept an eye on the two combatants.

"I dunno. But if you remember, Eric saidwe weren't gonna like it."

"Well, he sure got that right!"

"Sometimes, Eric's methods of getting a point across area little … well, drastic," Wes murmured apologetically.

"You think?" Tommy said, voice dripping with sarcasm, wincing in sympathy as he heard and saw the impact Eric's fist was having on Jason's stomach. The blow nearly doubled him over. Tommy was still poised and ready to interrupt the fight at a moment's notice, but managed to stay back at Wes' side. A quick sideways glance showed that despite his earlier words Wes was also watching the action alertly, prepared to step in if and when necessary. It was strangely reassuring to know that he wasn't the only one who worried.

---

Eventually Jason was beginning to run out of steam. He'd already exhausted a lot of mental and physical energy in the past couple of months just coping, and while his sheer strength was still holding up pretty well, he couldn't sustain the momentum of his attacks any longer. As exhaustion set in, the cloud of frustrated rage lifted from his mind as he realized _who _he was fighting and he hesitated a fraction of a second before trying to place his next blow.

Experienced fighter that he was, Eric recognized what was happening and immediately seized his advantage. Now it was _his _turn to go on the offensive and he did so, using his higher speed to good effect against Jason's greater strength. The only difference was, Eric wasn't trying so much to hurt as to subdue his opponent – and he didn't care that some of his methods were anything _but_ regulation. He was in this to win! His mind firmly fixed on that goal, Eric used every trick he'd ever learned in combat, as a Ranger and in down-and-dirty street fights against various criminals to take Jason down.

Not even blind anger could make Jason fight unfairly. Consequently, he didn't have many tricks up his own sleeve to hold out long against Eric, and soon a series of hits calculated for maximum impact brought him to his knees. In a flash, Eric succeeded to throw him fully to the ground. Jason tried to shake him off, but with his combat experience and background in law enforcement, Eric managed to hold him pinned with relative ease.

Panting, almost completely winded, Jason looked up woozily into the dark eyes blazing at him.

"Why are you doing this?" he gasped, futilely straining against the firm hold Eric held him in. "You have no right …!"

"I have every right to help someone who needs it," Eric growled. "And if you weren't such a pigheaded idiot, you'd see that!"

Jason shook his head in denial. "I don't need …"

"Yes, you do," Eric interrupted him, slamming Jason's shoulders back into the ground when he attempted once more to dislodge him. He grinned savagely at Jason's yelp, pinned his legs down with one knee and tightened his grip around Jason's wrists, yanking them above his head and thus immobilizing him even further. "Are you gonna listen to me, moron, or do I really have to beat you to a pulp?"

Groaning with pain and frustration, Jason blinked. "…What?"

The slanted black eyes bore into Jason's. "You think I don't know what this is about? Newsflash, kid – I do." He quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead against his bicep. "So your father kicked you out because you love another guy? Tough luck. Shit like that happens to a lot of people. You must've known it might come to this. So deal!"

Blushing, Jason turned his head away from that too-knowing, hard and uncompromising look. It wasn't as if he hadn't said those very things to himself, but that didn't make them any easier to take from anyone – most of all Eric. He tried to shrug and winced when his shoulder joint hurt against Eric's firm grip.

Eric squeezed Jason's wrist hard, making him gasp.

"Pay attention, dogface; I'm not done talking yet!"

Jason glared back at him defiantly, but unable to hide a guilty flush. "Why should I? What's it to you, anyway?"

"Because you know I'm right – you're hardly the first or only gay or bi guy who loses his family over their chosen lifestyle."

Which was nothing but the plain, unvarnished truth. Jason had tried to tell himself that very thing countless times over the past few weeks, but only now, immobilized, caught in that hurtful grip and faced with Eric's uncompromising look, did it finally sink in. All anger drained out of Jason, leaving only pain behind. Groaning in defeat, Jason went slack.

Eric noticed it with grim satisfaction. "So what's it gonna be – are you going to crawl back to Daddy, tail between your legs, or are you gonna stand by your choice?" he demanded to know. When Jason didn't reply, just turned his head aside, Eric pressed harder, both with words and his fingers. "Are you willing to give up what you have with Tommy?"

There was only one answer Jason could give, even if it came after a long pause … and in little more than a whisper. "No."

Eric nodded once. "Didn't think so." Slowly, alert for any sign that Jason would resume his attack on him, he released his hold. Just before he let go completely, he not-so-lightly cuffed Jason across the face. "So be a man, not a little boy. You made your choice, now live with it."

Getting up, Eric looked down at Jason, who was still lying on the ground, thoroughly winded. "One more thing, idiot." He waited until Jason stared back at him uncertainly. In a gruff, but not unkind voice, Eric gave him his one piece of genuine advice. "Take it from someone who had to learn the hard way – sometimes, it's okay to ask for help if you need it. Especially from someone who loves you."

Without a backward glance, Eric turned and went towards the table. As if nothing had happened, he grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler Tommy had brought outside earlier and started to drink thirstily. On the porch, Wes and Tommy let out twin sighs of relief that the ugly scene was over, then Wes slowly moved towards his partner. Tommy remained where he was, watching Jason intently.

---

After a few tense moments during which it was anybody's guess whether he'd simply go away or finally face his demons, Jason concentrated on lifting himself at least into a sitting position; not an easy thing to do when he felt as if he'd been hit by a truck. At last, he succeeded. Reaction set in then, and he began to shake. Burying his head in his arms on his updrawn knees, Jason now battled with himself. _Could _he reach for the help he craved and needed? Or should he try and go it alone?

_-Like that has been working so far.-_

Undecided, he cautiously peered towards the porch … and saw Tommy standing next to Wes, tense and obviously poised to go into action. Jason knew that he'd just have to say the word, and Tommy would punish Eric for all the hurtful things he'd called him – or come to hold him. Jason finally dared look at Tommy's face and met a pair of very anxious brown eyes. Need won out over revenge, and he reached a trembling hand towards his lover.

Reading the silent message loud and clear, Tommy immediately started towards Jason, but was stopped after only a couple of steps by Eric's quiet voice.

"Don't. Make him call you."

"What? Why?!?"

The older man gave him an exhausted grin. "If you don't, I'll have to give him this little lesson all over again, and frankly, I'm no longer in the mood."

Tommy was about to reply sharply to what he perceived as inappropriate flippancy when a soft sound jerked his head around. Jason was looking directly at him and was calling his name.

"Tommy?"

There was no way Tommy could ignore the soft, plaintive cry. All thought of Eric disappeared and he made his way to the sweaty, dirt-streaked form of his best friend, sinking down on one knee next to Jason. Yet he hesitated, some instinct telling him Eric was right, that it _wasn't _quite the right moment to reach out, although he wanted to enfold Jason in his arms with every fiber of his being,. "Yes, Bro?"

Swallowing hard to dislodge the lump in his throat, it took Jason a few tries until he could form coherent words. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but he managed a choked whisper at last.

"H-help me. Please?"

Tommy felt his gut clench with sympathy. "Then stop shutting me out, Jase," he said softly but firmly.

A muscle in his cheek spasmed convulsively and Jason bit on his lip to stop it from quivering, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again to meet Tommy's serious look, they were still filled with pain … but clear and open at last. "I won't," he promised, the deep voice raw and weary beyond belief. "Not anymore."

"Then I'll give you all the help I can, love," Tommy murmured and drew Jason into his arms. Jason shuddered once, then went almost completely limp, hiding his face against a handy shoulder. Relieved and grateful, Tommy tightened his embrace.

_-Thank heaven. I've got him back!-_

---

About twenty minutes later, Tommy found Eric and Wes in the bathroom at the back of the house, washing sweat and dirt off Eric's torso. He knocked on the door frame and waited until they both looked at him.

"Good, you've found everything. Here, I thought you could use these." He handed them a bottle of painkillers and a tube of ointment to prevent bruising.

Wes accepted both with a nod and quiet thanks, but Eric glared at their host. "What the fuck are you doing here? Why aren't you with Jason?"

Tommy smiled slightly, reading the grudging concern underneath the belligerent question. "He asked me for a few minutes alone."

"So you just left him out there?"

"I didn't. Actually, he went into the forest."

"Alone? And you let him?!? What kind of idiot are you?"

He let his smile widen. "The kind who knows his partner better than you do – and who knows when to back off for the time being." Tommy raised his hand to forestall another snide comment. "Hey, I have a pretty good idea where he's off to, and I'll follow him soon. Not that he's going to do anything stupid, anyway. You don't have to worry."

"I'm not worrying," Eric muttered, turning back to the sink to hide his faint blush. "Why the hell for?"

"Yeah, right," Wes grinned, exchanging an amused glance with Tommy behind Eric's back. "No reason for you to care about a friend. That's why you volunteered to get banged up by another Ranger." Then he added in a slightly louder voice, "Now hold still so I can put some of this cream on your back – or do you _want _to be covered in bruises tomorrow?"

"Hmph." But Eric held obediently still, wincing only occasionally as Wes carefully massaged the ointment into his skin.

Tommy watched and waited until Eric shrugged his t-shirt back on, then led them back towards the kitchen. "You guys want some more water – or would you prefer a beer?"

Wes replied before Eric could protest. Even if he'd die rather than admit it, his partner needed rest after the fight. "A beer sounds just about perfect, thanks."

"Coming up."

Soon, the three men were back outside under the sun shade, chilled long-necked bottles in hand.

Tommy finally addressed Eric. "I can't deny that your method seems to have worked, but – why pick a fight with Jason? Couldn't you just have challenged him to a workout, or something?"

"It's not the same," Eric shrugged, then sent him a knowing look. "Don't tell me _you _haven't tried that before."

"Well, yeah," Tommy had to admit. "And you're right, it didn't work. Neither setting up a punching bag nor sparring with me."

"That's probably because you held back, right? Didn't want to hurt him?"

Tommy smiled sheepishly and shrugged one shoulder, which was answer enough. Wes snapped his fingers.

"So that's what you meant by Tommy being the last person able to help Jason?" he realized.

"Uh huh. Also – remember saying something about a blank wall?" Eric asked Tommy.

"I guess; why?"

"That's what gave me the idea," Eric explained. Leaning back, he took another pull on his bottle. "Back when I was in the army … there was this guy in my platoon. Couple years older than me, came from a family who's been in the military since the Civil War or something. Youngest of four, father a colonel on the way to his first star, two older brothers graduated from Westpoint and Annapolis respectively. Hell, even his sister was military – law school, then joined JAG. Anyway, this guy lived and breathed the army, only he just couldn't cut it academically to become an officer. He wasn't stupid, just not cut out for book learning – which had been neatly covered up by the fancy private school he'd gone to."

Eric sent Wes a sardonic look and got a reminiscent wry grin in return. During their time at the private prep school where they'd first met, they'd run into that kind of thing more than once.

"Long story short, the guy decided he'd just enlist as an ordinary grunt; thought his old man would at least appreciate his dedication to the family tradition. He was wrong."

"Uh-oh. I think I can see where this is going," Wes murmured, being reminded of his own father's expectations of him. Sure, he had had no problems with studying as such, but he'd been thoroughly bored by business school.

"Thought you might," Eric smiled, then continued. "And yeah, Colonel Big Shot all but disowned him. He was so ashamed of his son being nothing but a grunt, he got himself transferred clear across the country just so he wouldn't be connected to a common soldier even by name." Eric laid his head against the lounger's back rest, staring at the sky as he resumed his story. "I ran into the guy in the base gym. He was boxing – or trying to, anyway. Total disaster. He had no coordination, no instinct, no technique … and still he kept going. One day he saw me practicing karate, he asked for some lessons, but didn't do any better. To tell the truth, he was pretty much _the _worstfighter I've ever seen. Competent enough as a soldier, made marksman and everything, but almost a complete washout at any kind of physical combat. I just didn't get why he kept coming back for more, so I eventually asked him why he kept trying. That's when he told me his story – and that boxing and martial arts gave him someone to lash out at. A real person, not just a punching bag, someone who hit back, who reacted to something he did, even if it hurt _him_ more than the other guy. The way he put it was, 'Anything's better than butting my head against that blank wall my father's put between us just because I'm not what he wants me to be. I can't hit my father, but I _can _hit another guy, in a controlled environment where nobody's really getting hurt. That's worth the bruises and the embarrassment.' I figured things might be similar enough to work for Jason." He finished his beer in a few noisy gulps.

Wordlessly, Tommy handed him another from the cooler he'd brought outside.

"From what I've seen, you just might be right."

Eric grinned smugly and lifted the fresh bottle in a silent salute.

---

He gave Jason an hour before excusing himself to Wes and Eric and followed down the path Jason had taken earlier. As he'd suspected he would, Tommy found him sitting at the edge of a clearing overlooking a small, serene pond. Back in Angel Grove, Jason would've gone to the ocean, but Tommy's house was too far away from the coast to make walking feasible, and the pond was the next best thing.

Tommy tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to startle his friend, but either he made a small noise he wasn't aware of or Jason sensed his approach; when Tommy was only three or four yards away, the dark head turned and Jason greeted him with a small smile. Smiling back, Tommy closed the remaining distance between them. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Jason murmured, patting the spot at his side. "Sit with me?"

"Sure." Tommy sank down onto the moss, then silently heaved a big sigh of gratitude when Jason rested his head against his arm. Tommy clasped the broad shoulders loosely and was relieved that for the first time in weeks wasn't rebuffed. He placed a light kiss into the short hair, a gesture which was also accepted without flinching. _-Progress at last. Good!-_

They sat like that for several minutes, then Tommy cleared his throat. "You wanna talk, Bro?"

Jason sighed. "No. Not today."

That wasn't what Tommy wanted to hear. They desperately needed to clear the air between them so they could go forward, not look back. "Jase …" he began warningly, but was interrupted by a tired chuckle.

"I know. Don't get your boxers in a twist yet, I'm not shutting you out again." Jason lifted his head and looked seriously at Tommy. "I know we'll have to talk eventually; what I meant was, I don't think I'm up to it today."

"Why not? Shouldn't we get everything out into the open?"

"We will," Jason promised, paused, then continued. "Look, Tom … I _know _I have a lot of stuff to work through – and I want you with me for most of it. But there are a few things I need to get clear in my head first. And I need to do _that _on my own."

Tommy considered the hesitant request. Jason certainly _seemed _sincere, but … he gazed into the dark eyes, noticed suddenly that they were red-rimmed and that there was still a trace of moisture in one corner. _-Tears? Jase? Aw, man!- _No way could he disregard the plea in their depths. He drew a long breath. "If that's what you want."

Jason snorted. "What I _want _is for someone to wave a magic wand, cast a spell or sprinkle fairy dust over everything to make this shit go away." He gulped once, then with some difficulty went on. "I want Dad to accept, if not approve my choices. I want my parents to want my happiness at least, the way your folks do. But I know that's not gonna happen anytime soon, if at all," he finished with a trace of understandable bitterness. "I'll have to settle for what I _need_ – and that's a little time. Can you give me that? Please?"

"How much is 'a little'?" Tommy asked dubiously.

"Dunno. A few days, couple of weeks at most, I guess," Jason shrugged. "Promise."

"As long as it doesn't take longer than that," Tommy capitulated, knowing that Jason didn't give his word lightly … and that he'd keep it, too. "Okay."

"Thanks." Sighing in relief at having won that small concession, Jason laid his head back against Tommy's shoulder and slipped one arm around the trim waist in a familiar gesture that he'd denied them both for far too long. Tommy found as much comfort in receiving it as in returning it with another light, undemanding kiss to Jason's forehead.

"In the meantime … is there anything I can do?" he asked at last.

"Just be there for me," Jason requested softly. "Go on being my rock, like you've been all this time. That's all I need right now."

"Your rock?" Tommy wondered.

"Yeah." Jason looked up at him with a small smile. "To hold on to … and to butt my head against if I start being an idiot again."

Amused despite himself, Tommy smiled back. It seemed Jason's offbeat sense of humor was making a cautious comeback. _-All things considered, I guess that's a good thing.- _Despite himself, he felt his grin widen._ -Man, I need my head examined!- _

"You've got it, Bro," he vowed.

"Thanks."

They sat together quietly for some time then until Jason reluctantly disengaged himself. "I guess we ought to go back to the house," he murmured.

"Uh huh. At least to say good-bye to Wes and Eric – if they haven't left already."

Jason harrumphed, then groaned as he scrambled slowly to his feet. "Man, I'm going to be all stiff tomorrow," he grumbled. "Eric packs quite a punch," he added grudgingly.

"He didn't look all that hot when I left, either," Tommy soothed as he stood as well.

"That's something at least," Jason groused, gratefully accepting and leaning on the arm Tommy slid around his waist. "As long as he doesn't expect me to thank him for beating the crap out of me."

"Not even Eric is that arrogant," Tommy said, then frowned. "Is he?"

"Only one way to find out, I guess."

"Right." Slowly, the two men wandered back to the path towards Tommy's house, arms loosely around each other. Just before they left the woods bordering on his back yard, though, Tommy nearly crashed into the fence when Jason unexpectedly asked a question, a twinkle he hadn't seen for way too long in his midnight eyes.

"So tell me … when and why did you call them, anyway?"

_To Be Continued …_


	14. The Price of Love 3

_**Disclaimer: **__The usual …_

_**Note: **__In response to the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge; themes #06 family, #13 loss and #18 rock.__–__Well,__another story arc done. Hope you all like it! Once more thanks to Cmar for comments/help, and on to the next chapter. _

_**Note II: **__This is an __edited__ version of the chapter; if you want to read the full, __very definitely__ adults-only rated version, please go to my profile for links! Other than that … enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 13: The Price of Love Pt. 3**

Once back at the house, Jason excused himself and went inside. He really would've preferred to lie down and rest, catch up on the sleep he'd missed lately and to snooze away the aches his brawl with Eric had left him with, but the SUV was still parked out front – which meant Wes and Eric were still around. So he just grabbed a change of clothes from his bag, then went into the bathroom to wash off the worst of the sweat and grime. As he stood at the sink, he saw the tube of ointment Wes had left there, made a quick decision and stripped off completely for a quick shower. He set the water's temperature as hot as he could stand, wishing he had enough time for a full, long soak in the big tub, but he didn't want to let Tommy wait longer than necessary.

When he was done, Jason applied the ointment to those most painful of his bruises he could reach on his own, hoping with a certain grim maliciousness that the Quantum Ranger would find himself as black and blue the next day as he knew he was likely going to be. Then he slipped on a fresh t-shirt and shorts and made his way to the kitchen. Through the window he saw Wes in serious conversation with Tommy under the parasol. Of Eric, there was no trace.

_-Just as well. Dunno if I can face him again so soon.-_

Jason also noticed the beer bottles on the table, and decided that something stronger than water would go down really well right now for him as well. He reached for the wine rack in one corner, wincing as a muscle in his back pulled painfully. Choosing a rustic merlot, Jason deftly opened the bottle and poured himself a drink. Suddenly thirsty, he downed half of the ruby wine right there at the counter, sighed with satisfaction and was in the process of refilling his glass when a lazy drawl from the hallway made him freeze.

"Still drinking that fancy-shmancy stuff, I see."

_-Eric.- _Jason sighed. Exactly the person he _least_ wanted to see, hear or talk to. But it seemed he had no choice. Slowly, he turned and saw the older man lounging against the door frame. The look in his dark eyes was coolly assessing, but no longer unfriendly. So Jason decided the least he could do was be civil.

"I told you nine years ago that I don't drink beer; why should I have changed?"

"_I _have changed in nine years."

"Could've fooled me earlier," Jason muttered to himself, eliciting a smothered snort from Eric. "I just don't like the taste of beer. Too bitter. So sue me," he shrugged.

Eric returned the gesture. "Suit yourself." He was not about to tell Jason that in those nine years since they'd first met, Wes had taught himto enjoy the occasional glass of wine with a good meal; let Jason go on thinking that he was a simple guy with simple tastes. "Got another beer in that fridge?"

"Lemme check." Sure enough, there were a few bottles lying on the bottom shelf. "Yep, here you go." He tossed one across the breakfast bar towards Eric, who caught it deftly, lifted off the cap with a practiced flip against the door lock and raised it in a challenging kind of salute towards Jason.

"Bottoms up," he murmured with a wry grin, taking a swallow.

"Up yours," Jason replied somewhat rudely, but with a sudden amused gleam in his eyes as he sipped on his wine.

"Sorry, you blew your chance that one time in San Diego."

"Well, hell," Jason pouted, trying vainly to suppress a grin of his own. By rights, he supposed he should be royally pissed; with Tommy for going to outsiders for help – to Wes and _Eric _of all people, too – and with Eric for all the snide remarks he'd used to goad him into that fight, but couldn't find it within himself. Instead, Jason realized with surprise that his earlier anger and irritation as well as his physical aches were being pushed aside by something new. Numb contentment came closest, he decided after a moment's thought. Which, in and of itself, was rather amazing.

_-I haven't felt __anything __but depressed for so long … do I even know anymore how it is to actually feel __good__?-_

The tension that had gripped Jason for so long, exacerbated by Eric's first words, sloughed off like dirt in the shower, and he tried to smile – genuinely this time. Eric pursed his lips, nodded once and ambled across the room, coming to stand a short distance from Jason against the sink. He stared at the bottle in his hand for a minute before looking up again.

"Are you okay?" he asked abruptly.

Jason inhaled slowly, held his breath for a couple of seconds, then released it in what wasn't quite a sigh.

"I will be," he said at last. "It's not gonna happen today, or even tomorrow, but in time … and with Tommy to help me, or to catch me if I fall … I'll make it."

"Good."

Jason gave Eric a sideways glance. "Just don't expect me to say thanks," he murmured somewhat grumpily. "I don't thank guys who try to beat me up."

"Wasn't much trying involved," Eric smirked. "I took you down."

"Only because you fought dirty," Jason countered with asperity, but without any real rancor. Tommy had explained Eric's motives, so Jason had a pretty good idea _why_ Eric hadn't stuck to the rules. "If it had been a fair fight ..."

"If you hadn't completely lost it, you mean."

"Like you had nothing to do with that?" Jason asked wryly, and had the satisfaction of seeing Eric blush just a little.

"Well, er …" Eric coughed uncomfortably. If someone had said half the things he'd used to goad Jason into losing his temper to _him_, he might've tried to kill them – or at least inflicted major damage. He had to give Jason credit for that much, at least – even in his blind anger, he had still fought fair. "I, uh, didn't mean most of it," he mumbled by way of an apology.

"I know that – now."

"Um. Okay."

_-Guess that's one way of saying he's sorry,- _Jason reflected. _-Kinda typical for him, I guess. The funny thing is … it's enough.- _That realization lifted another weight he hadn't even been aware he was carrying off his shoulders, and despite his weariness stood a little straighter. Regardless of everything that had occurred between them, Jason came to the startling insight that he kind of _liked_ Eric – and that he was glad to count him a friend. _-Only a friend would care enough to risk getting injured; he couldn't __know__ that he'd manage to defeat me.- _Which resurrected another feeling, one that had been absent these past few weeks as well: his competitive streak. Jason had never liked coming out second-best in any fight; if he truly wanted to go back to normal, maybe it was time he let it make a full comeback.

_-Eric has always managed to bring out my reckless side. And dammit – it was fun while it lasted! Well, I'm not gonna repeat what we did nine years ago, but …- _Without thinking, he said the first thing that occurred to him.

"Next time, I'm so gonna kick your ass!"

Eric looked startled for just a second, then grinned slowly as he recognized the implicit challenge. Without hesitation, he accepted.

"Oh yeah? You and what army?"

---

Outside, Wes and Tommy were beginning to wonder whether their partners had gotten lost.

"I better go check on Jase," Tommy murmured. "He only wanted to wash up and change, but he _was _pretty banged up …"

"Eric shouldn't take _that _long for a bathroom trip, either," Wes agreed. "He'd die rather than admit it, but Jason got him good a few times, too." He glanced towards the house. "You don't think they're, um, in trouble, do you?"

"Man, I hope not." The two exchanged a long look, then as one rose from the comfortable chairs. "Let's make sure – just in case."

"Right behind you."

Doing their best not to run, they went up the porch and entered Tommy's house. Once inside the hallway, they heard familiar voices from the kitchen and made a beeline towards the sunny room. Just as they reached the door, Tommy heard Jason say clearly, "I'm so gonna kick your ass!" and stopped dead in his tracks. Wes' blue eyes widened in alarm when Eric replied just as succinctly, "You and what army?"

Both men exchanged an incredulous look.

"That better not mean what I think it means," Wes murmured, alarmed. "That'd be the last thing we need!"

"No shit," Tommy agreed, feeling his heart drop into his stomach. "Whatever it is, we need to stop it – now!" Nearly colliding with sudden urgency, they all but burst through the door side by side – only to find their lovers leaning against sink and countertop respectively, drinks in hand and grinning madly at each other.

Relieved that at least they hadn't come upon a scene of mayhem and violence, Tommy let his eyes dart from one black-haired man to the other.

"What're you guys up to?"

"Yeah," Wes chimed in. "What's taking you so long?"

"Nothing," Jason said promptly, taking a sip from his wine.

"At all," Eric added, swigging from his bottle. Both tried – and failed – to look perfectly innocent.

"Riiiiiight," Tommy muttered suspiciously. "Like I believe that."

"Or me. You're not fooling either of us," Wes warned. "Either you spill it – or Tommy and I will have your hides!"

Jason smothered a laugh. "Did he just threaten to spank us, or something?" he asked Eric casually, ignoring the two worried men as if they weren't there at all.

"Or something, I guess," Eric drawled, readily playing along. "He gets kinda kinky ideas from time to time."

"Oh, really? Then … maybe all four of us could … after _we're _done, of course …" Jason let the sentence hang, thereby making Tommy and Wes jump to all sorts of utterly wrong conclusions. They turned identical shades of red and began to sputter incoherently.

"Sounds like fun," Eric mused, unsuccessfully hiding his grin. He raised an eyebrow at Jason. "So who's gonna tell 'em the details – you, or me?"

"You do it; you're older," Jason replied promptly.

For the first time in years, Eric was tempted to stick out his tongue at someone. He fought the impulse, thinking that he could rarely remember an occasion where he'd felt as amused and lighthearted when under all other circumstances he'd be irritated to hell and back. Offhand, he could only remember two other instances where banter like that had come naturally – on the Animarium with Taylor after they'd successfully defeated the Mutorgs, and with the other Red Rangers during the aftermath of their joint mission to the moon. Other than that … he had only ever been able to relax that much with Wes, and if he was honest, it felt damn good to have found someone else to let down his guard with. _-Guess it's not so bad to have more than just one friend.-_

"Hmph," Eric huffed anyway.

"Oh, what the hell," Jason capitulated. Carefully _not _looking at Tommy, he drained his glass before saying nonchalantly, "Eric and I are gonna have a rematch."

Predictably, the other two all but exploded. _"WHAT?!?"_

"Another fight. A fair one, this time," Jason added helpfully, otherwise ignoring the twin outburst. Eric nodded his agreement.

Speechless with shock, Wes and Tommy stared at their partners, at each other, then at Jason and Eric again. "You're nuts," Wes declared at last, shaking his head. "Both of you. Completely off your rockers."

"You _can't _be serious," Tommy protested. "After the trashing you already gave each other today? That's crazy!"

"Who said we're doing it today?" Eric said. "I don't think Jason's up to it-"

"Speak for yourself," Jason interrupted him. "I kinda doubt you're fit for a full match now, either!"

Grudgingly, Eric had to concede that point. "Well … maybe not. But anyway, we're thinking some other time. Like, end of summer or so … full tournament rules, best of five falls, at the Guardians' training center? With an impartial referee?" They hadn't had a chance to talk details yet, so he made it a question to Jason as well as an explanation to the other two.

"Fine by me," Jason agreed immediately.

Tommy sighed. _-Thanks a lot, Eric! That wasn't __quite__ what I had in mind when I asked you guys for help, but … whatever works, I guess.- _He was secretly elated that Jason seemed to be bouncing back to his usual self so quickly; he just wasn't sure whether he liked the consequences. But he was determined to take whatever good was coming out of this – and if he couldn't have been the one to effect that change, he would just have to swallow his pride and be glad that _someone_ had found a way. He exchanged a long-suffering look with Wes.

"You're right, they _are _nuts. Tell me again why we love 'em?"

Wes rolled his eyes. "Right now, I'm not so sure." He sighed as well. "I need another drink."

"You're driving," Eric said even as he was opening the fridge to snag a beer and tossed it towards his lover. "'Cos I can't, not anymore."

"Oh. Right."

"Shit, stay the night," Tommy suggested on impulse. "It'll only take five minutes to make up the bed in the guest room."

Clearly tempted, Wes tried to gauge Eric's opinion. All he got was a shrug, but the look in the slanted eyes said his partner wouldn't mind. "We shouldn't," he murmured nevertheless. "You and Jason have stuff to talk about, and we'd only be in the way …"

"No, you wouldn't," Jason said firmly. Then, he blushed and glanced at his feet. "As I told Tommy earlier, I'm not really up to a lot of soul-searching tonight." He smiled when Tommy laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently, covering it with his own fingers. "Seriously, guys – I'd welcome the company."

"If you're sure …"

"We both are," Tommy confirmed. "So why don't you grab that beer and I'll see about having food delivered? Jase and I skipped lunch, and all that excitement has made me hungry."

"Then thanks, we'll stay." Grinning, Wes tossed the beer back at Eric and turned to Jason. "Got any more of that wine?"

---

Looking out over the ocean just before sunrise, Jason smiled at the memory. The evening with Wes and Eric had been … nice. Good company, good food, sharing memories of their Rangering days, getting to know each other better … all of them getting a little drunk … just four guys, _friends_, spending some real quality time together.

Perhaps inevitably, his good mood hadn't lasted. He suspected that it had mostly been sort of a reverse reaction to all the turmoil he'd gone through earlier that day, but at least he hadn't sunk back into a bleak depression. Like true friends, the others had respected when he went quiet, even melancholy at times. The next morning he'd managed a few minutes of good conversation with Wes, who'd offered to be available whenever he felt the need to talk. So far, Jason hadn't taken him up on it, but it was good to know that there _was _someone who'd gone through a comparable experience and was willing to listen and give advice.

_-At least I can sleep with Tommy again without feeling all guilty.-_

That was _all_ they'd been doing, though – sleep. Jason knew Tommy missed their lovemaking, and so did he, but was still grateful that his best friend hadn't pressed the issue. Instead, they'd spent the rest of the holiday weekend reconnecting on other levels – and with school out for the summer, they had decided to take a true vacation. Thus they'd driven up the coast to this small fishing village in Oregon, rented a tiny beach cottage for two weeks and spent their days swimming, soaking up sun, exploring the spectacular scenery, taking long walks on the beach and often ended up talking long into the night, sitting at a driftwood fire on the warm sand in front of the house.

By now Jason had mostly come to terms with his father's attitude; he knew it was going to hurt for a long time and probably leave a small shadow permanently in his heart, but as long as he had Tommy's love and support, he could cope. Going away had helped a lot, too – he was still prone to occasional mood swings, and the rougher Oregon climate and more varied landscape suited him just fine. He'd had quiet, sunny days for soaking up peace when he felt mellow, and windy, rocky beaches to explore when restlessness and pain threatened to overwhelm him.

The thing that carried him through everything, though, was being alone with his lover – without distraction or outside influences, they'd managed to cement their relationship in ways they hadn't achieved before.

_-I never could've made it without Tommy,- _Jason reflected with deep gratitude. _-I've loved him before, knew that he loves me, but now … he really __is__ my rock. Solid, steady … eternal.-_

---

The waves breaking gently onto the beach were soothing, reaffirming Jason's certainty he'd made the right choice for himself that he was once more feeling deep within his soul. Looking towards the horizon as he sat on the sand, deep contentment filled him as the sun rose in a fiery ball on this, their last morning of vacation. Jason was so absorbed in nature's spectacle that he never heard Tommy leave their cabin and join him. They had become so attuned to each other that he didn't even flinch when a strong arm slipped unexpectedly around his shoulder.

"You're up early," Tommy murmured with a smile in his voice. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I think I'm finally all slept out," Jason replied, leaning easily into the light embrace. "And I didn't want to lose a minute of today."

"I know what you mean. Pity we can't stay longer, but I really have to get back."

"Your new research project with Mercer?"

"Uh huh. If I didn't have that deadline, though …"

"Yeah," Jason smiled. "Maybe we can come back another time; I really enjoyed it here."

"Me, too."

"Did you?"

"Yes," Tommy said with conviction. "It was just what we needed, I think – time alone together, away from everything and everybody."

"I know it was what _I _needed, anyway," Jason murmured. Then, he shifted slightly so he could look fully at his lover. "Did I ever thank you?"

"What for?"

"Everything, I guess."

"That covers quite some territory," Tommy teased. Jason grinned and settled more comfortably against him.

"Well, yeah. How about … thanks for being there, for understanding, for not giving up on me … for never stopping to love me?" he finished in a whisper. "And that's just for starters …"

The brown eyes were warm and soft. "Anytime, Bro. And no thanks are necessary. Not for any of that. You'd have done the same for me."

"Yes. Still, I needed to say it just once," Jason replied, gazing seriously at the other half of his soul as he laid his hand against a lean cheek for emphasis. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Bro." Tommy kissed Jason's palm, then slowly bent forward to capture the warm mouth with his own. Jason's lips were soft against his and opened readily when he deepened the kiss, welcoming his tongue with a small, contented moan. Tommy felt his body react almost immediately – it had been far too long since their kisses had led to more – but checked himself; Jason wasn't giving him any sign yet that he was ready, and he could be patient a while longer.

_-As long as it takes!-_

They parted with a smile that turned into laughter when Jason's stomach rumbled as if on cue.

"Guess I got my appetite back, too," he grinned, slightly embarrassed.

"Looks that way," Tommy grinned back, stole another quick kiss and jumped to his feet. "C'mon then – let's get you fed!"

---

The day turned out to be warm and sunny, so the two men took a blanket and books to the beach, lazing away their last hours with easy conversation, quiet companionship and a couple of romps in the surf. When night came, they walked into the village to a quaint seafood restaurant and a couple of drinks. Back at the cottage, they decided to do their packing in the morning and spent a quiet, contemplative hour on the wide double lounger in front of the house, star-gazing and generally storing up on peace and contentment for the weeks ahead.

It was past midnight when they finally went inside. Jason showered first and was already in bed when Tommy joined him. To his surprise and delight, Jason was naked under the thin sheet.

"Jase?" he whispered, trying not to let hope make him sound too eager. He got a sleepy and somewhat sheepish smile in return.

"I want to feel you against me," Jason confessed. "All over. Hold me?"

"Sure." A little disappointed that that was all Jason asked for, but willing to take whatever steps he needed to regain their former closeness – even if they were but baby steps – Tommy slid under the cover next to him and drew him into his arms. With a contented sigh, Jason turned around so that they lay spoon-fashion and took hold of Tommy's hand, drawing it across his chest.

"This is nice."

_-It would be even nicer if I didn't have to keep my hands – and everything else – to myself,- _Tommy sighed inwardly, valiantly controlling his reaction to having his cock nestle against the firm ass. But no matter how much he wanted to make love, he wouldn't persuade, or worse, _force_ Jason into anything he wasn't ready for. _-After all, this is way more than we had a week ago.- _

"Uh huh," was all he said.

Jason yawned. "G'night."

"Good night. Love ya." Tommy kissed Jason's shoulder, then determinedly closed his eyes as they found the most comfortable positions and settled against each other. Soon, even breaths from both men were the only sound in the room.

---

Maybe a couple of hours later, Tommy woke up from a light slumber; consciousness returning was a slow process for once, and gradually he became aware of a feeling of well-being he hadn't experienced for some time. As his mind catalogued and analyzed each sensation in the darkness, he realized that Jason's back was still pressed against his chest, their legs were intertwined … and that his hand had drifted downwards in his sleep to cup Jason's genitals. The furry weight of his balls rested against his fingers, and silky-soft skin tickled his palm. It was enough to bring him to full wakefulness in an instant. With some effort, Tommy suppressed a groan. It would be _so easy _to start playing – to cuddle and tease, to gently run his fingers up and down until Jason grew erect and he could …

_-No. Not without Jase being aware and okay with what I want to do. I can't simply assume that he won't mind; forcing the issue, forcing __him__, no matter how gently or with how much love, would be barely a step away from rape. And I can't do that to him. Not now, not __ever__.-_

Better to move away from temptation, then. Regretfully, Tommy even denied himself the smallest caress and carefully released his lover. But he had scarcely done so when Jason spoke softly into the night-still room.

"Don't."

_-Shit, he's awake!- _Tommy froze.

"I'm sorry, Jase, I didn't mean to-" he started contritely, but Jason interrupted him.

"I know you didn't. I meant … don't let go of me. I like your hand where it is." The low rumble was intimate and warm, but lacked the playfulness he was used to when they were spooned in bed together like this.

"Are you sure?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Okay." Gingerly, Tommy put his hand back where it had been. Almost inevitably, his fingers soon seemed to develop a mind of their own and started to fondle Jason gently. Unable to stop himself, he waited with bated breath for some protest, but it never came. Instead, Jason sighed and shifted his legs to give him better access, silently granting permission. So Tommy continued his careful stroking, keeping things slow and undemanding while he felt himself getting aroused.

"Jase … if you want me to stop at any time, just say the word," he murmured into the short hairs at Jason's neck. "Promise?"

He felt the nod. Then, a small shudder ran through Jason's body.

"I've wanted this … wanted to make love to you again for weeks," he whispered.

"So have I," Tommy replied. "And not only sex; I missed being that close to you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I knew we'd be back together sooner or later." Smiling, Tommy nuzzled Jason's neck and flicked his tongue teasingly against one ear while closing his fingers around him. Jason gasped, shuddered and tensed. Immediately, Tommy stopped.

"What's wrong? Do you want to wait?"

"I- no."

_-Whew.- _Brushing his lips across one broad shoulder, Tommy strove to keep his voice even, to not betray his own rising excitement. "Then tell me what you want me to do," he said gently.

He heard Jason swallow once. "Everything. Nothing. I don't know …" Another fine tremor shook the strong body. Slightly alarmed, Tommy tightened his embrace, careful to keep it light and tender rather than demanding. To his relief, Jason relaxed again.

"I- I _want_ to make love, but … I don't know if I can go through with it. There's so much still going on with me … Tom, what if I get cold feet at the last moment?"

"Then we'll stop. No matter when."

"You … you won't be angry?" Jason asked in a small voice.

"Of course not." He permitted himself a tiny chuckle. "Frustrated as hell, most likely, but never angry, not with _you_ anyway. The only thing that matters is that you're comfortable. And that we get together again, however far you want to take it tonight. It'll be worth any discomfort."

"Really?"

"Really."

Jason lay still and silent for several minutes. Finally, he made up his mind and rolled over so that he was facing Tommy. "Do it, then."

It was what Tommy had hoped for, even if it wasn't _quite _happening the way he'd imagined it. "Just like that?" he murmured.

Jason shrugged and smiled, touching the lean chest hesitantly. "I, ah, I'm not really ready for any hot 'n' heavy stuff, but if we take it slow … and if you won't mind doing most of the work … I'm all yours."

A strong wave of déjà vu, followed by a powerful surge of arousal, swept over Tommy. "Mine for the taking – like you promised me in the beginning?" he asked huskily. Jason shivered, but didn't draw back.

"Yeah."

Tommy's mouth went dry with love and desire. "Then lie back and enjoy, Bro," he requested. "I'll try and make it good and easy for you." He didn't wait for an answer, just slid one hand around Jason's head and drew him into a deep, tenderly passionate kiss.

---

Barely hesitating, Jason responded like he had that morning and earlier out on the deck, entwining his tongue with Tommy's. They took their time, rediscovering the taste and texture of each other's mouths, but without overt urgency. But just the knowledge that this time they weren't going to stop, plus the fact that they were both naked, in bed, _together_,was enough to lend a deeper meaning to their kiss again.

When they broke for a much-needed breath, both men were smiling. Tommy very much wanted to see, to watch how Jason reacted to what he was planning to do, but turning on one of the nightlights – or even taking the time to light a candle – was sure to destroy the mellow, intimate mood. So he had no other option but to look out for other signals Jason might give him … the cadence of his breathing, the beating of his heart, the way he moved and moaned whenever Tommy would do something to please him.

Most of all, though, Tommy wanted to feel Jason as excited as he was, begging to be caressed by his hands and lips.

Even the mere thought of wrapping his lips around Jason once more made his mouth water. He could hardly wait – but first, he had to reintroduce Jason to the pleasures they could give each other. He started by kissing him again and again; sometimes nipping at the pliant lips, other times licking the soft surface or inside, into moist heat, feeling the hard, sharp enamel of white teeth scraping against his tongue as he did so. He interspersed these kisses with teasing forays across Jason's cheeks, his eyes, forehead, chin, only to always return to the accepting mouth. Only when Jason began to make soft sounds at the back of his throat and sought out Tommy's mouth without being prompted did he venture further, down the strong column of his neck.

Within seconds, Jason was tossing his head back and forth, thereby offering Tommy better access to the vein running down from his ear to his shoulder. Obligingly, Tommy licked and nipped his way up and down, hearing and _feeling _the muted moans Jason couldn't hold back.

The broad shoulders were next to be explored; while Tommy drew lazy circles with his tongue in the hollow just beneath Jason's throat, he used his hands to sweep along the firm skin of his arms and gently kneaded the muscles underneath. It occurred to him that in a strange way this was a reversal of the first time they'd made love; then, _Jason_ had been the experienced one, guiding Tommy with infinite patience towards pleasure. Tonight, it was Tommy who was leading the way – they were matched in skill now, but it was _he_ who had the confidence to bring them together again.

_-And man, it feels __good__!-_

Tommy hadn't realized that some part of him needed that experience, but accepted it with nary a thought. It was something to think about later, perhaps – at a time when he wouldn't be distracted by the feel, sight, taste and smell of having Jason back in his arms. For now, he decided, it would be enough to just concentrate on the joy they could give each other.

x

Jason's breath caught when the hot, moist lips wandered to his chest. Tommy outlined his pecs with long sweeps of his tongue, aided by firmer strokes of his hands down to his waist and across his abs. He could feel them clench and flutter, and a faint, dull ache started in his nipples when Tommy caught first one, then the other between his teeth and sucked gently until they felt swollen and hard. He wasn't as sensitive there as Tommy and usually preferred slightly rougher caresses, but the slower pace set by his lover suited him perfectly tonight. Panting, Jason arched his back towards that maddening mouth.

x

Delighted with Jason's response so far, Tommy continued to lick, pinch and nibble on the small brown nubs. His fingers weren't idle, either; when he wasn't busy to tease the nipple not in his mouth, he ran his short nails repeatedly over his flanks and the flat stomach, circling Jason's navel before going even lower. With feather-light touches he skimmed across the narrow waist, from hipbone to thigh and finally along the edge of the dark patch of hair below Jason's navel. With each pass, Tommy could sense Jason's growing excitement until he finally gasped, instinctively bucked his hips, then froze.

Tommy didn't want to risk what they'd achieved by doing too much, too soon. So he simply held Jason with a firm but undemanding touch, keeping them pressed closely together. Almost immediately it became clear that he'd made the right decision; Jason relaxed with a soft, pleased moan and sought Tommy's mouth with his own. This time, he was no longer just passively accepting Tommy's kiss, but responded fervently. Only the need for oxygen managed to end that kiss.

Jason shifted in the embrace, sighing with pleasure as Tommy continued to coax a response from him. His moans grew throatier, and his heartbeat hammered harder than usual under Tommy's gentle fingers.

Taking a chance that this was the right moment to go on, Tommy kissed Jason deeply one more time, then resumed his intimate journey. This time, he didn't linger, just reawakened the erogenous zones he'd come to know so well. Slowly he scooted far enough downwards so that he could rest his head on the flat abdomen. He inhaled deeply of the scent of his lover.

"Oh, Jase …" Tommy whispered, shakily reaching for his prize. "I missed this … missed _you_."

"Mmm." The pleased hum morphed into a sharp hiss when Tommy trailed one finger down his length. "Yesss …"

Encouraged, Tommy repeated the motion until he could see the first drop of pearly moisture emerge from his vantage point. Tempted beyond endurance, he bent forward and licked it up.

"Ahh!"

The first taste of Jason's essence exploded on Tommy's tongue. Combined with the small cry, it made him even bolder and he scrambled to his knees. He continued his gentle seduction, using every bit of technique he'd learned in five years of being Jason's lover to bring him to the edge of completion time and again. He wanted Jason to forget everything but what he was doing to him, only to feel the pleasure he was giving him with hands, lips and tongue.

---

Jason was floating on a sea of sensation. His head swam as Tommy mapped out his body, seemingly knowing precisely what to do to make him lose all sense of time and space.

_-It's almost as if he's reading my mind.-_

How else could Tommy know where to kiss him, when to use his hands or how hard or gentle he needed to be touched? He didn't care; what mattered was that he was rediscovering the delight he'd always found in their lovemaking, and how immensely freeing and satisfying it was to give himself completely over to the man he loved.

His groin felt as if it was on fire by the time Tommy finally touched the center of his pleasure. Flames licked through his gut, and only one thing would be able to quench the simmering heat.

No sooner had the thought formed in Jason's fevered mind that he felt the first touch of blessed moisture. An agile tongue wrapped around him, and Jason could no longer suppress a cry of desire.

"Ahh!"

The warmth of Tommy's body left his side and gentle hands parted his legs. Mere seconds later, his lover bent over him, cool breath teasing his skin. Skilled fingers touched and steadied, then the moist tongue swiped upwards once. A shiver of desire shook him and without thinking Jason let his legs fall open. Everything around him faded into the night; all thought fled and only desire remained.

---

Tommy was only dimly aware that Jason began to squirm excitedly underneath him; he was too busy enjoying himself. His own body was begging to be touched, but he determinedly ignored the clamoring of his hormones in favor of concentrating fully on bringing Jason to his climax. He cheered inwardly when Jason started to buck his hips upwards. Soon, Jason's skin turned slick with a light sheen of sweat and Tommy was able to tease the hidden passage with one finger.

No sooner had he managed to work one fingertip inside, though, that he felt Jason's hand on his hair. At first he assumed it was to keep his head in place, but when the strong fingers touched first his cheek, then underneath his jaw in a stilling motion, he sighed to himself.

_-Damn.-_

It seemed Jason wanted him to stop. Reluctantly, Tommy obeyed, easing away gradually. He lifted his eyes towards Jason to make sure he _was _doing what he wanted. In the darkened room, and without his glasses, he couldn't even clearly make out Jason's expression – all he saw was the smooth expanse of flat stomach and heaving chest right before his eyes.

What Tommy _could _see quite clearly, though, was the tube of lubricant Jason was holding out to him.

He didn't even stop to wonder where it had come from; without thinking he immediately reached for the plastic container and started fumbling to open the top with one hand.

"Are you sure, Bro?"

"Yes," Jason replied softly. "I want you in me – now."

Too overcome for words, Tommy nodded once. Squirting a liberal amount of the cool gel onto his other hand by touch alone, he prepared his lover with trembling fingers. Soon, Jason was ready. Tommy then knelt between Jason's thighs.

He groaned blissfully as familiar heat surrounded him. Both men moaned.

"Jase … aw, man, Jase …"

"Take me, Tommy … make me yours," Jason gasped, wrapping his knees around Tommy's chest.

"Oh yeah," Tommy laughed breathlessly, leaned forward and hooked his hands under Jason's shoulders, bracing himself. The position was familiar to both men; it allowed them to make love face to face with as much freedom as possible. This time, though, Jason just held on to Tommy. Eyes closed, he moved in perfect sync to every thrust or minute shift in position, panting and moaning softly all the while.

All too soon, Tommy felt his orgasm approaching. It had been a _long_ time since Jason had submitted to him so willingly – and that wasn't even counting the weeks where they hadn't had sex at all! But he wanted Jason along on the ride, so he slowed down just a tad to have enough breath to warn him.

"It'll be over for me any second, Bro," he panted. "Are you ready?"

"N-not yet," Jason gasped, holding him more tightly. "Just a little m-more … ohh!" He bucked his hips as Tommy hit his hot spot just behind his sphincter just right.

"Need help?" Tommy rasped, freeing one hand as if to reach between them.

"No – just keep going as long as you cannnnnnnn…" The drawn-out moan was music to Tommy's ears. For the first time that night, Jason took a more active role. He used his strength to hold Tommy's torso in position with his knees, clasped his hands around Tommy's neck and began to meet each thrust with one of his own. It was a familiar rhythm to both, as old as time, and it drove them to impossible heights together until Tommy finally lost control. He snapped his hips forward several times in rapid succession until he could feel the explosion start deep in his groin. With one last thrust and a sharp cry he erupted deep within Jason.

---

Slumping bonelessly on top of the heaving chest, Tommy needed several minutes to regain his bearings. He was virtually plastered to Jason's skin, and it only gradually seeped into his consciousness that the grip of Jason's thighs around his upper body had eased. Sucking in great lungsful of air, he finally found his voice.

"Hang on, Bro," he panted. "I'll take care of you in just a sec."

_-If I ever manage to move again. Man, that was __intense__!-_

To his surprise, Jason chuckled, equally breathless. "Don't bother."

_-What? No way!-_

Puzzled, Tommy raised his head to peer into the flushed face so close to his own. Even if he couldn't see the heightened color in the darkness, the heat radiating from Jason's cheeks was a sure indicator of his excitement. "I'm not gonna leave you like this," he protested.

Jason chuckled again. "You're not. What I meant was … you don't _have _to 'take care' of me – you already did, thankyouverymuch."

"Huh?"

Smiling, Jason cupped the side of Tommy's head and drew him into a fleeting yet thorough kiss. "Didn't you notice? I went over the edge when you did."

"Y-you did?" Now that he thought about it, there _had _been a deeper echo to his own shout of release … quickly, Tommy took stock of all his senses. The truth of Jason's words was made evident by the beginning-to-itch pool of wetness between their close-pressed bellies.

"Whoa. That's never happened before," he said wonderingly.

"No – but it was great," Jason assured him. "I love it when you touch me back _and _front, but trust me, I didn't miss a thing."

"Oh man," Tommy sighed, half happy and half chagrined that he hadn't got to watch Jason's climax. He shifted a little and grunted in disappointment when the movement made him lose contact with Jason.

"Mm. Pity. I like having you stay in me afterwards," Jason murmured, lowering his legs with a small, satisfied groan. His arms were still holding firmly onto Tommy, however.

"Next time we're doing it from behind," Tommy promised immediately. "It's easier that way." The thought sent a pleasant thrill into his spent anatomy, but it was much too soon to even think about an encore. _-I'm just glad that there __will__ be a next time again – and soon, I hope!- _He stretched out contentedly. There was a slight squelching sound as their sweat-slicked bodies rubbed against each other. They shared a rueful look over the familiar, often inevitable messiness of two men having had sex. "Ugh. I suppose we should get cleaned up."

"Hmph. Only, I'm too comfortable to get up – and I forgot to have a towel handy."

"We're all sticky and kinda wet, though," Tommy pointed out.

"So? I don't mind if you don't; we can take a shower in the morning, and since we're dropping the sheets off at the laundry ..."

"Okay." Smiling to himself – he hadn't been keen to leave his partner even for a minute anyway – Tommy settled himself more comfortably, drawing Jason into his arms so that the dark head came to rest on his shoulder. Idly, he ran one hand down the broad back to the roundness of Jason's buttocks, tickling the cleft, and had to grin when the pleased rumble coming from Jason's throat reminded him vividly of a large cat's purr. _-If lions purr, that is …- _Suddenly, something hard nudged uncomfortably against his hip. Frowning, he fumbled around and found the tube of lubricant tangled in the sheets. He pulled the offending object out from under him and held it up.

"Where did that come from, anyway?" he asked. "Good thing you had it – I would've _hated _to stop just when we needed it – but I didn't see it on the nightstand when we went to bed."

"I put it under the pillow when you were still in the bathroom," Jason admitted. "I didn't know if we'd need it, but I wanted to be ready just in case. 'Always prepared', like the Boy Scouts say."

"You, my love, were – are – a lot of things, but _never_ a Boy Scout," Tommy snorted amusedly, then kissed Jason. "Still, I'm glad."

"Thanks." Jason went quiet then, staring pensively at the ceiling. Tommy gave him some time, then gently tilted his face upwards so that he could look into the dark eyes.

"What made you think you couldn't go through with making love, Bro?" he asked softly. "Or for that matter, to hold me at arm's length so long? I could guess at the reason at first, but … it's been weeks since the last time, and … things got pretty lonely without you." He waited for several heartbeats, then added, "I can wait if you don't want to tell me yet, but …"

"No, it's okay," Jason sighed. "I want to – _have_ wanted to tell you for a while, but … I couldn't. I'm sorry."

"Whenever you're ready," Tommy reassured him. "But I think you should make it soon," he murmured softly. "Don't shut me out, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." Jason exhaled slowly, then took the plunge to deliver the necessary explanation. "Ever since Dad locked me out of the house, I … I c-couldn't get it up for weeks. And later, when I was no longer quite so numb and tried again,it wouldn't _stay _up," he confessed hoarsely at last.

"What?!?" Tommy had to use every ounce of control not to jerk up from their embrace in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?" _-Not that I don't have a good idea …-_

"I was … too embarrassed, I guess." Jason muttered. This was the _last _detail of his recent mental anguish he needed to share – and when better than now, when the problem had resolved itself so perfectly? He went on determinedly. "At first, when Dad walked out on me … sex was just about the furthest thing from my mind."

"I can imagine. Small wonder, really," Tommy commented, kissing him soothingly. "I think it would've been weird if you _hadn't _had some kind of reaction like that."

Jason shrugged, then continued, wanting to get everything out into the open now that he'd started. "Maybe. Anyway, after the … shock, I guess … had kinda worn off a little I lay in bed one night and missed being with you something awful; I started fantasizing how you'd hold me, kiss me if you'd been there … long story short, I began to masturbate, pretending like always that it was you touching me. I was _this_ close to finding relief when suddenly – bam, I went limp. No relief, and no matter what I did, nothing worked to get me going again." He refrained from mentioning the mental image of his father's disapproving face staring down on him; surely Tommy could fill in that detail by himself.

"Ouch." Tommy winced. After their long talks this past week, he could correctly surmise the reason for the dysfunction. _-A temporary one, thank God!-_.

"Yeah. Since then, whenever I thought intimately of you, of us_ together_ … I started feeling guilty as hell. When Mom told me about Dad's health … it only made matters worse. Then, on top of _that_, I was getting afraid," he whispered miserably. "What if I _never _could get it up again? Having to think that I wouldn't be any use to you anymore, either … it just got to be too much. Especially when I ran into Mom at the store one day and she just went past me." The memory of his mother's face crumbling with unshed tears as she did so with barely a mouthed 'I'm sorry' hadn't helped matters, either, but Jason suppressed it with a mental sigh. He _had _to get past the pain of the incident, or his future with Tommy was doomed.

_-Damn you, John Scott! Damn you to hell and back! And Helen, too!-_

With a monumental effort, Tommy stopped himself from cursing out loud. No wonder Jason had shied away from even touching him all these weeks! To have to deal with what must've looked like impotence in addition to what his parents' rejection had done to him already … it didn't bear thinking about. It was almost a miracle that Jason had been able to regain _any _confidence in himself and their relationship!

_-If I could get my hands on you right now, I'd welcome – no, I'd __invite__ the return of Rita's Green Ranger. And then you'd get your just deserts!-_

"I understand," he said soothingly at last, when he could manage to speak calmly without showing his fury. "Well, at least we found out tonight that your, um, problem no longer exists."

Jason coughed. "Actually … I've known that for a while," he admitted. "Ever since Eric's little 'talk' with me I got, uh, interested again. I just didn't know how to let you know; by that time, it'd been so long …" the deep voice trailed off rather sheepishly.

"You could've _shown_ me," Tommy couldn't help saying. "We never needed a lot of _words_ to share our feelings."

Jason shrugged. "I know. This was different."

Tommy wanted to protest, or at least know _how _the matter differed, but thinking about it for a second he could see the point. When he'd been the one holding back in the beginning, unsure whether he was choosing the right path by becoming intimate with his best friend, he'd _known _that Jason would've backed off, retreated to their former, 'just friends' relationship. Whereas now, _he _would've tried his utmost to prove that nothing had changed, that Jason's problem was just in his mind – _-which it was, dammit- _– and need not affect what they shared.

_-But if Jase __hadn't__ been able to work through his issues, to realize for __himself__ that it was feeling hurt and guilty, not something else, that made him temporarily … dysfunctional … it could've led to disaster. I'd have tried to persuade him to try anyway; I __know__ I would've. And if he had failed, possibly several times, I'd only have made things worse for sure. With all the best intentions in the world.-_

As Eric's 'solution' had proved a few weeks ago, sometimes love, no matter how deep or true, just wasn't enough. _-No matter how much I don't like it, or wish it was. Shit.-_

"I guess," he conceded reluctantly at last. It seemed they weren't finished talking yet – but not now, not when they should still be basking in the afterglow of some spectacular lovemaking. Tucking the issue on a back shelf of his mind to bring forth at some point in the future, Tommy needed reassurance on something else. "But things are all right now? You're okay with … with us, and your parents?"

"I've always been okay with _us_," Jason replied. "If I hadn't been completely, utterly convinced that loving you, _being with_ you was the right thing for me, I would've called things off. And I _can't _do that. Ever." He sighed. "If the price for loving you is losing other people in my life, even my parents, I'll play it gladly. It's more than worth it." Wordlessly, Tommy hugged him. "I'll always regret that they can't, or maybe won't, see how truly happy I am with you. And I'll probably go on hoping for a miracle that one day they'll change their minds. Until then … it's their loss," Jason finished.

_-Thank you, God!-_

"Thanks," Tommy murmured, kissing Jason's forehead and received a one-armed hug in return, cut regrettably short by a jaw-cracking yawn from his lover.

"Man, I'm exhausted," Jason murmured, then sent Tommy a tired but saucy look. It was a mere shadow of his usual irreverent humor, but it was definitely a start in the right direction. "You wore me out good, Bro," he teased.

"My pleasure," Tommy smiled back and winked. "Literally."

"Smartass."

"Hey, it's not _my _ass that should be smarting," Tommy said oh-so-innocently, eagerly seizing the opportunity to get some of his own back for once. "I was the one on top, in case you've already forgotten – oomph!"

Exhausted or not, Jason wouldn't let that remark go unpunished. Quick as lightning, he sat up and pinned his lover to the mattress in one smooth, easy motion. Looming over Tommy, he gave him the best glare he could muster. "Just wait until the next time – I'll make you smart in places you don't even know you have," he threatened, then thoroughly spoiled the effect by leaning down and kissing him soundly. Tommy responded without hesitation, and within a heartbeat the kiss gentled into a soft, tender exchange.

"I'm looking forward to it," Tommy whispered against Jason's lips once he could speak again. "Very much."

"Mm. Me, too." Another yawn snuck up on Jason and infected Tommy as well. Grinning sleepily, Jason released his grip on the leanly muscled shoulders and lay back against his partner's side once more, his head tucked securely under Tommy's chin. "Just not tonight, huh?"

"Nope."

"Sleep well, then."

"You, too." Tightening his arms around his love, Tommy listened to Jason's breath which grew deep and even within seconds as he drifted off to sleep. A smile on his lips, Tommy followed suit.

---

Morning found the two men already in the shower; they had a long drive ahead of them, but they found the time to turn cleaning each other into a playful interlude under the hot spray nevertheless. Jason still let Tommy take the lead, moaning blissfully when his lover held him against the tiled wall. But it was _both _their hands doling out pleasure, pumping in unison until they climaxed within moments of each other.

Feeling keyed up rather than worn out, Jason grinned at Tommy as he toweled off afterwards. "You think we'll ever learn how to do that in the shower without half-drowning ourselves?"

Tommy laughed and reached for his underwear. "I hope so. We'll just have to practice until we get it right, I guess." He leered comically at Jason. "Best fun I ever had at _any _kind of practice, at least."

"You got _that _right, Bro," Jason agreed, his midnight eyes sparkling in a way that had been absent far too long.

The sight made Tommy happier than the sex they'd just shared. But time didn't stand still, no matter how much he would've liked to take Jason back to bed right away. A quick glance at his watch showed that the cleaning crew would arrive at their cabin within the hour, and they still hadn't eaten nor loaded the car. So, with an inward sigh, he waited until Jason had finished dressing as well, then led the way into the kitchen.

"Breakfast?"

"You bet. No way am I braving your driving on an empty stomach!"

"Pffft. Watch it, Bro, or you'll walk back to California!"

"Like you'd leave me behind? I don't think so," Jason said softly, suddenly serious. "In fact, I _know _you wouldn't."

"Never," Tommy vowed, equally serious, and drew Jason into a long, gentle kiss. Then, deliberately breaking the mood, he pushed him towards the table. "Sit. Eat."

With a jaunty salute, Jason obeyed.

---

Everything was finally packed and sorted, and the lovers left their small haven for the last time. Jason stood at the edge of the deck, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere of the Oregon coast one last time.

"I needed this time," he said quietly, just loud enough for Tommy to hear. "To be away from it all, alone with you … thanks."

"I needed it as much as you did," Tommy answered. "For different reasons, yes, but … I know we would've taken longer to sort everything out between us, and things would likely have been a hell of a lot harder if we _hadn't _come here together."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "I know there's a whole bunch of stuff still waiting for me back home to deal with, some of it not very pleasant, but … the way I feel now, I think I can handle everything."

"That's good," Tommy replied, locking the cottage and tossing the keys to Jason who caught them expertly. "Just remember, you can ask for help if you think you need it. No matter what with."

"Don't worry, I will. I've learned my lesson."

"That's all I need to know."

Jason smiled at him as they walked towards the car. "Actually, there _is _something I could use your help with."

"Just say the word, and I'll be there," Tommy promised, pressing the remote to unlock the doors.

"You may regret that once you've lugged a dozen crates full of my books down the stairs," Jason chuckled, slanting a sideways glance to catch Tommy's reaction as he lifted the lid of the trunk and slung his suitcase inside. It was everything he'd hoped for.

"What?" Hardly daring to believe that his best friend and lover had come to far so soon, Tommy dropped the last of the bags and gripped Jason's shoulder. Jason simply stepped into his arms and reached up to run his fingers through Tommy's hair, coming to rest against his cheek.

"I'm ready to move," he murmured. "My lease is up the first of next month anyway, and I need to leave Angel Grove at some point if I want to be ready to start at Brookhill come September." He inhaled softly, committing himself all over again. "Most of all, though … I love you, and I want to live with you. If you'll still have me, that is."

"Always," Tommy all but choked with emotion. "It's what we decided this spring, isn't it – and I can't wait!"

"Okay then," Jason smiled, gave him a quick kiss and slammed the boot shut. "How about as soon as you're done with whatever Mercer has you doing?" They both climbed into the car and Tommy started the engine; Jason would spell him later on the long drive.

"Sounds fantastic – that'd make it three weeks from now. Think you'll be all done with the paperwork by then?"

"Definitely."

"Great! So let's get moving – and not just away from here," Tommy suggested with a smile of his own, knowing that Jason would understand his meaning. He wasn't disappointed. His best friend and lover nodded, leaning back into the seat with a content sigh.

"Yeah. Let's go home."

_To Be Continued …_


	15. A Fun Day In Silver Hills

_**Disclaimer: **__The characters/settings in here do not belong to me but to BVE/MMPR Productions; no profit is being made._

_**Note: **__In response the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge; theme: play (original)_

_**Note II: **__The character of Lina Monroe was created by Cmar and is used with her permission. Same goes for background details of the Eric/Wes relationship. Thanks for letting me play in your sandbox (and the beta), lady – once again, you rock!_

_**Note III: **__Okay, in essence I'm reprising the themes of the previous three chapters. The main story arc in them __is__ finished, but as there are a few loose ends and angles I still needed/wanted to explore, I decided to add this chapter as a kind of conclusion, or interlude, before going on with the main story. Originally, I had planned this to be about the big coming out towards my boys' friends, but quite frankly, the thing got out of hand length-wise (now __there's__ a new development for me __-snerk-) and it got divided into two separate chapters.__ So enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 15: A Fun Day In Silver Hills**

Jason was breathing hard as he faced Eric on the mats. The noise around them was deafening – nearly every Silver Guardian not on duty this early Saturday afternoon appeared to be in the gym, watching their match. And every single one of them was cheering for Eric.

It had been a long time since he'd been the underdog in _any _karate match, but he didn't let it faze him; if anything, it spurred him on even more to give his best.

_-No way am I gonna lose!-_

He'd taken the first bout easily – Eric undoubtedly had greater experience in practical, day-to-day fighting, but he was thrown off a little by the formal rules of their match at first. Soon enough he adjusted, though, so the next two bouts went to him, but Jason had come back to take the fourth with a spectacular roundhouse kick that would've made Chuck Norris green with envy. Now they were in their final bout; Eric needed only one more point to win overall, and time was running out rapidly.

Ringside, both Tommy and Wes were at the edge of their seats, both white-knuckled with suspense and excitement, but knowing better than to break either competitor's concentration with shouts or comments.

In a flurry of lightning-fast moves, Eric went on the offensive again, but Jason countered them easily – after all, he was used to spar with Tommy who also possessed greater speed than himself. He focused on detecting that small uncertainty, that tiny little opening he'd need to get under Eric's defense.

_-There!-_

Eric's kick was a fraction of an inch off, not quite connecting with his intended target, and Jason seized the moment. Applying a grappling move, he used Eric's own momentum against him, managed to throw him off-balance, and struck with an open-edge blade hand strike against his jugular, blocking the force of impact just at the right instant. After all, they were sparring, not trying to kill each other! Immediately, the referee raised his arm.

"Point Scott!"

The two danced apart, but before either could assume a starting stance again, the match bell rang.

"Time over; two bouts each, third ends in a draw!" the judge announced, then gestured both men to the center of the mat. "Two options – either call it a draw overall, or you can now go to sudden death – next point takes the match," he told them once they were in range to hear his quiet suggestion.

For a second, Jason was tempted to go on, to score the victory, and he could read in Eric's eyes that _he_ certainly was spoiling for the chance. But only one point to win … that might come down to blind luck more than skill, and could definitely go either way. Still, just to concede the match to Eric went strongly against Jason's nature.

_-I'm not a quitter!-_

He was already opening his mouth to agree to the judge's proposal when an unexpected thought made him stop.

_-Do I really need to prove that I'm better than him? __Am__ I?-_

They were certainly quite evenly matched – and while that said a lot about their capabilities as fighters, it said absolutely nothing about them as _men_. Suddenly, the need to win dissolved, and Jason shook his head.

"No."

"You're giving up?" Eric panted incredulously.

Equally breathless, Jason smiled, all at once sure about his decision. "Nope. I just don't have anything to prove."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that if I had to, I probably _could _beat you on a good day. I just don't _need _to. Not anymore."

It was on the tip of Eric's tongue to demand Jason continue the fight anyway, but one look into the dark, serene eyes made him hesitate. His life-long ambition and drive wanted him to win, to come out on top no matter what, but would it be worth it? Jason _had _proved today that he was a formidable opponent; he'd matched Eric skill for skill, strength for speed, style for experience, and made the match one of _the _most exhilarating Eric had ever fought.

Eric knew chances were even that he might lose – in front of Wes, Tommy, and the Guardians under his command. Suddenly, strangely, the thought wasn't as unpalatable as it should've been; what _was _unthinkable, however, was to defeat an opponent who didn't think it worthwhile. On the heels of that came another thought – did _he _have something to prove?

_-Why would __I__ need to beat him?-_

He didn't – unless he wanted to satisfy his ego at all cost. And _that _wasn't something worth fighting over.

_-Jason has got nothing that I haven't achieved myself – an interesting and fulfilling job, respect from my colleagues and my boss, as well as a partner who loves him. I … I don't envy him – for anything.-_

That realization, arrived at in mere seconds, enabled Eric to relax, nod and grin back easily.

"Neither do I. Let's leave it as is."

The judge nodded approvingly. "An honorable choice by both of you. Very good." He then grasped a hand of either man and raised them up over their heads, pitching his voice loud enough to carry over the cheering crowd. "The contestants have decided not to continue. Match ends in a draw, no winner!"

Jason and Eric bowed to each other as the gym erupted into noisy applause. While most of the Guardians wanted to see their commander win, they acknowledged that today he'd faced an equal – and that neither man deserved to lose.

Wes and Tommy came towards their partners with towels and water bottles.

"I disagree with the judge," Wes murmured. "You're _both _winners!"

"I think you're prejudiced, but thanks," Eric grinned, drinking thirstily.

"No, Wes is right," Tommy smiled. "That was one of _the _best karate matches I've ever seen; you were fantastic, both of you."

"Thanks," Jason replied, mopping his sweat-streaked face. "I had fun."

"Me, too," Eric agreed, then couldn't resist adding _sotto voce_, "and on a good day _I _could so beat _you_!"

"Dream on," Jason laughed, recognizing the comment for what it was – ego, bravado, it didn't matter. They had taken each other's measure, and had both come out on top.

"Stop it already, you two," Wes chided. "Or we'll let you starve tonight! Speaking of which … Dad has invited all four of us to dinner at the house," he said, snickering at Eric's instant groan. "Don't worry, it's informal. I think Philips mentioned the word 'barbecue'."

"Hmph." Eric grumbled a little, but more out of habit than any real reluctance. The Collins' butler could be relied on to put out a terrific spread – and a barbecue where he didn't have to struggle with charring meat sounded rather good. "What are we supposed to do all afternoon, though? It's too early for dinner yet."

"I'm sure we can come up with something," his partner shrugged. "So how about it, Tommy, Jason? Are you game?"

"I really don't know; it _does _sound nice, but Jase and I hadn't exactly planned on staying much longer." Tommy was tempted, but hesitated nonetheless. "It's a long drive home; what with the weekend and everything, there's no telling if we could even find a room at short notice …"

"Hey, we have more than enough guest rooms; you're welcome to spend the night. Call it payback for last time when we stayed at your place."

"We wouldn't want to impose …"

"You're not," Wes replied promptly. "In fact, I think Dad kind of expects that you're staying; he certainly won't mind."

"That's very generous of you and your father," Jason hedged as well, "but are you sure?"

"Very." A persuasive argument came to Wes' mind. "We happen to have this big pool back at the house," he coaxed. "It's private, and the four of us could have some fun before dinner. Swimming, or water polo maybe. Come on, say you'll stay; watching the two of you go at it has made _me_ itch for some exercise as well. Don't you agree, Tommy?"

"Well …" The chocolate-brown eyes began to gleam at the thought of getting Jason out of his clothes, into the tight black spandex trunks he favored, and wet all over – with the added bonus of being able to touch him where he wanted, practically in public, without anyone able to raise an eyebrow.

Jason laughed, recognizing his lover's sudden shift in mood … and guessing accurately at the reason for it. Truth be told, the idea of spending some more time with friends was appealing to him as well. His move to Reefside and getting settled at Tommy's house _had _tended to isolate them a lot recently. _-Not that I mind being alone with Tommy, but … he was right, we __should__ socialize more, and this sounds exactly like what we were thinking of back in spring. So why not?- _

"You just want to see whether you can beat Eric and me after today. Let me tell you something, guys – match or no match, we can take you on anytime and win! Right, Eric?"

"You betcha," Eric drawled, grinning suddenly. He looked Tommy and Wes up and down, a familiar challenging light coming back into his eyes. "Water polo, you said?"

"Help us, Lord," Tommy groaned comically. "If you two start ganging up on us – Wes, I think we've created a monster!"

---

The water polo game was still in full swing when Mr. Collins, who found even just watching the four younger men's antics fairly exhausting, was informed by Philips that he had a visitor of his own waiting on the first-floor balcony. Quickly, he made his way into the house.

"Hello, Lina," he greeted his lady friend, pleasantly surprised. "I thought you were busy tonight?"

She gave him a welcoming smile. "I managed to switch shifts," she explained. "And I must say, I don't regret it – I wouldn't have wanted to miss the spectacular view from here!" She gestured towards the grounds across the stone balustrade.

"Thanks, but didn't you say you preferred the vista from the living room, over the rose garden?"

"Not right now, I don't," Lina Monroe replied. "Your roses, pretty as they are this time of year, have _nothing _compared to this kind of scenery!"

Puzzled, Alan Collins moved to stand beside her to follow her gaze. The view from the balcony showed him the patio, the pool … Wes, Eric and their guests cavorting noisily in the water … suddenly, the penny dropped. "Lina!" he exclaimed, slightly shocked.

"What?" she asked innocently, attempting in vain to hide her grin. "I'm a healthy, red-blooded woman – as you very well know. And the day I can't appreciate the sight of four gorgeous studs in nothing but tight swim trunks might as well be the day they put me six feet under!"

"Uh …" Alan swallowed. He had always prided himself on being suave in any situation; now he found himself at a loss for words.

"Don't be such a prude, Alan," she chided gently, patting his shoulder.

"I'm not … or am I?"

Recognizing that her teasing made him uncomfortable, she took pity on him. "Not usually, no. But honey, speaking from a purely aesthetic point I couldn't care less that one of them is your son, one his lover and that the other two are probably a couple as well – as Philips informed me, Wes asked him to prepare just _one _guest room for Dr. Oliver and his friend. I don't have to be a rocket scientist to put two and two together and come up with the right answer."

"Well, Wes didn't explicitly say so, but it's the impression I had of them, too," he admitted. Once, that fact would have caused him some consternation; now, he was able to take it more or less in stride. "If you know that … what's the point in your appreciation of the, um, 'scenery'?"

Lina gave him an arch look. "Beauty is beauty – no matter whether it's attainable or not. Those boys are a sight for sore eyes. And what a waste for the female half of the population, too!" _-If I were but twenty-five years younger … and twenty-five pounds lighter, dammit … I wouldn't care whether they're gay, bi or whatever. I'd run down there tripping all over myself to get them to notice me! But there's no need to tell __that__ to Alan …- _ She grinned naughtily. "Things being what they are, though, I have to be content with just drooling a little from a safe distance. I can _look_, can't I? I promise to keep it at that."

"If that's what you want," Alan replied just a little stiffly. He was surprised when Lina laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Alan, dear – just imagine that instead of four hunky young guys there were four bikini-clad babes playing in your pool like that. And then tell me _your_ tongue wouldn't be hanging halfway to your knees!"

He had to laugh as well. Lina's no-nonsense attitude and slight earthiness definitely were among the things that attracted him to her. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Lina said smugly and slipped a hand through his arm. "Besides, as those boys aren't the only ones around here blessed with good looks, give me maturity and style over youth and muscles any day!" The warm, genuinely admiring look she swept over Alan from head to foot made her meaning quite clear, and he found himself blushing with pleasure.

"Thanks, I think," Mr. Collins mock-grumbled.

"You're welcome. Now, let's go tell Philips to fire up the barbecue; it's been a long day at the precinct, I'm starving, and I'm dying to meet Wes and Eric's friends. Preferably clothed, though," she added with an obviously fake regretful sigh. "I don't want them to _catch_ me drooling!"

---

Night was falling over Silver Hills when Wes, Jason and Tommy sat on the terrace at the Collins mansion after a sumptuous meal, drinks in hand. Eric had been called away by Guardian business a little earlier, and after seeing Lina home Mr. Collins had retired to his office to take a call from one of his suppliers in Europe.

"Will Eric come back once he's done?" Jason asked idly, relaxing in the warmth of good company and a late-summer evening.

"Afraid not," Wes replied. "They've arrested the perpetrators, but we don't know how long it'll take to clear things up at the crime scene …" His voice trailed off a little sadly, or so Jason thought.

"But surely he has a key? It's not as if he'd expect anyone to wait up for him, does he?"

"It's not that," Wes sighed.

"Then what is?" Tommy inquired quietly, sensing, like Jason, that there was more. The night seemed made for confidences, and after the help and support he and Jason had received from the other couple it seemed only fair to reciprocate.

"Eric has … reservations about staying here with me," Wes explained reluctantly. "Dad wouldn't mind – not much, anyway – and I've told Eric so, but … he says it doesn't feel right, and to be honest, I don't entirely blame him. To think that my father would know, or at least _guess_ when we, uh, were together …"

"Er, right," Tommy murmured, squirming at the idea of sharing a room with Jason at _his _parents' house now that they knew they were lovers. _-To worry about getting overheard, or to see their faces in the morning whether we did something or not … ew, no. Good thing I only have a single bed in my old room; perfect excuse to stay at a hotel!- _

He looked back at Wes, trying to frame his next question as tactfully as possible. "So you're only, um, spending time together at his place?"

"Most of the time, yeah."

"Then why don't you move in with Eric?" Jason asked reasonably. "Tommy told me he has his own house; it seems like the obvious solution. Or do you mind that his home isn't as grand as this?" He gestured vaguely towards the mansion.

"I don't care about grand, but somehow we never really talked about it." Wes pondered the question for a few moments, then sighed. "I think Eric has issues with us living together, no matter where. He accepts – grudgingly – that I _had_ to tell Dad about us, but otherwise prefers to keep it a secret."

"The two of you being a couple, or being gay in general?"

"Both. He's had a few bad experiences in the past."

"During his time in the military, you mean?"

"That, and elsewhere. He never told me much about it, but I know it happened. I may not like keeping things under wraps indefinitely, but Eric doesn't want to lose the respect he's worked so hard for. That is one reservation I've got to accept. So … except for Dad and Lina, we're still very much in the closet."

"That must suck," Jason commented.

"It does." Wes shrugged wryly. He'd learned to live with Eric's reasons, even if he didn't always fully agree with them.

"I'm sorry, man," Tommy murmured. At least he and Jason weren't hiding from the rest of the world anymore. "As you know, it wasn't all easy for us to come out, but on the whole I'd have to say it's the best decision we ever made."

"There were no repercussions or anything at work?" Wes asked, genuinely curious.

"Well … we informed our respective principals and their opinion was, since we're not working at the same school and as long as we don't flaunt our relationship, out of consideration for parents who may have objections on moral or religious grounds, it's okay with them. After all, a same-sex lifestyle isn't catching," Jason said. "I'd say most people we've told so far seem okay with it – and if they're not, they at least don't show it."

"Even if they did, they better be careful or I'll slap them with a discrimination suit faster than they can say 'gay agenda'," Tommy added darkly, only half joking. Both his companions had to grin at that.

"What about your friends?" Wes wanted to know next.

"We'll find out on Thanksgiving," Tommy said. "It's really the kind of thing you want to tell someone in person yourself, not by phone or a written message. Or let someone else do it for you; in retrospect, I shouldn't have let Trent spread the news to his father and the Dino Rangers. So we've planned the big reveal for when we meet all of the gang in November at our bi-annual get-together."

"Good luck."

"Thanks," Jason replied, only the barest quiver in his voice. He _was _apprehensive about telling their former teammates about his relationship with Tommy after the way his parents reacted, but he hoped that at least some of their friends would understand and wish them happy. He smiled gratefully when Tommy reached for his hand to give it a reassuring squeeze.

"It'll be all right, Bro."

"Yeah, sure." He sounded less sure than he would've liked, though.

Changing the subject – he didn't want to remind Jason more than he already had of his parents' attitude and was feeling too mellow to burden his guests with his, or rather Eric's,problems besides – Wes strove for a more cheerful tone. "So how's living together working out for you guys anyway?" He and Eric had offered to help Jason move, but a small crisis in Silver Hills at the last minute had prevented them from coming.

Jason grinned. "Pretty well so far. We're still shifting furniture around every other week, though."

"I never imagined how much stuff you've managed to pack in that two-room apartment of yours," Tommy grumbled with a smile. "Or that your desk would take up so much room in the den!"

"If I could set it up at right angles to yours, it would use much less space."

"Yeah – but it would block my access to the Lair."

"Unfortunately. Anyway, it'll be better once we get a wireless system set up throughout the house and I can have an office or something in the spare room," Jason shrugged. "As long as that isn't done, I'll need my computer near the modem."

"We'll think of a solution eventually."

"Sure." Both men shared a fondly amused look. These little domestic squabbles and adjustments were new to them, but it was all part and parcel of creating their life together, and as such taken in stride – the happiness they'd found more than made up for any minor temporary inconvenience. Wes watched and listened to the byplay a little enviously, wishing that he and his partner could bicker amicably over something as simple as where to put a piece of furniture, too. But that was a problem which couldn't be resolved tonight – and certainly not in Eric's absence.

Seeing that Tommy had drained his glass, he leaned forward, reached for the bottle chilling in a silver ice-bucket and raised it with a questioning glance. "Can I pour you a refill?"

Tommy considered briefly, then shook his head. "Thanks, but no. It's late; we'd better call it a night. Unless you want us to sleep the whole morning away?" he added, grinning.

Jason got to his feet. "Better not, Tom. We've taken up enough of Wes and Eric's time as it is, and you guys probably have plans together anyway, right?" he guessed astutely.

Wes shrugged and deftly placed their glasses onto a tray. He'd carry it into the kitchen on his way to his room; Philips would see to everything else in the morning. "Well, kinda," he said with a small grin and wink. "But hey, it was good to see you again – even though I still think you're nuts to have challenged Eric, Jason."

"I agree, but it was worth it. I've rarely seen you spar so well, Bro," Tommy said, remembering the earlier karate match.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure your match with Eric will be all the talk in the Guardians' locker room come Monday," Wes chuckled, then yawned suddenly. "Sorry. I guess it really _is _bedtime."

"Definitely," Jason smiled, yawning as well. "It's been a long day for all of us." He followed Wes and Tommy inside. "Fun, though."

"Strange notion of 'fun' you have," Tommy muttered good-naturedly. They paused before the guest room Wes had shown them earlier. "Well, see you in the morning, I guess."

"Uh huh. Sleep well."

"You, too. Good night!"

Wes watched the door close behind Jason and Tommy, then slowly went towards his own suite of rooms. Seeing them today, hearing about how they were building their life together, had given him a lot to think about … and made him wonder whether Eric's objections to coming out were really as relevant as his partner thought they were. This _was _the twenty-first century; would it really be so bad if they stopped hiding their relationship from the world and started living together as well?

_-I don't think so. And I'd love being with him every day, not just on weekends and in stolen moments during the week.-_

It would be nice – and much more than that, really – if he knew Eric would be coming home from a late-night mission like tonight's and just slip into their bed, spoon against him and ... whatever. Wes was reasonably sure that his lover would find the possibility as appealing as he did.

_-At least I hope he would.-_

All he had to do was to convince Eric.

---

As they were getting ready for the night in the sumptuous guest room, Tommy noticed that Jason couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"What's that Cheshire Cat grin for?" he asked idly, squeezing toothpaste onto his brush.

"Nothing in particular," Jason replied, pulled his shirt over his head and folded it haphazardly onto a chair before following Tommy into the ensuite bathroom. "I was just thinking how much fun I had today."

Tommy laughed and rinsed. "I think I know what you mean. Felt almost like high school, didn't it?"

"You think so?"

"Sure – didn't you notice the parallels? Karate match in the morning, water games in the afternoon, then pigging out over a barbecue with friends in the evening. How many Saturdays did we spend like that with the gang?"

"Too many to count," Jason agreed. "Only, back in school it was burgers, chips and sodas, not gourmet salads, marinated steaks and a wine that probably cost more than my weekly food allowance back in college!"

"Well, yeah. Still fun, though."

"Uh huh. Only, that's not all I thought was fun." He hugged Tommy from behind and briefly nuzzled his neck before giving him a small shove to make room for himself at the sink. He reached for the toothpaste as well and quickly finished his nightly hygiene, then gave Tommy a brief kiss. His lips tasted of mint and herbs, Tommy couldn't help notice. He decided he liked it. But Jason's slightly pensive expression recalled his wandering mind as he continued.

"What I liked most about today … everything felt so, well, natural, I guess. Being around people who know exactly what we mean to each other, who accept us without comment or question … I didn't _once_ feel the need to hide, to keep myself in check. I could look at you whenever I wanted, smile, even touch you – and never had to stop to consider what anyone else was thinking, or if they were judging us. It was just great."

Tommy nodded slowly. "Hmm, yeah. Quite a change from that one time when I nearly freaked over giving us away – remember when we met Trini, Billy, Rocky and Adam in the park, right after we became lovers?"

"Sure I do. You were so paranoid, I thought you were breaking up with me," Jason grumbled. "Wasn't anything 'nearly' about it – you freaked good!"

"Sorry. Again. Anyway, you're right; compared to then, today felt terrific."

"Think we'll ever be as comfortable around the gang as we are with Wes and Eric now?" Jason's voice shook the tiniest bit as he looked pleadingly at Tommy for reassurance. Tommy didn't hesitate to give it – despite their happiness, there still was an occasional moment, like now, when Jason couldn't help thinking of his parents' disapproval.

"I hope so. No – I'm pretty sure we will be," he said, drawing his lover into a warm hug. "It's only a couple months until Thanksgiving; then we'll _know_. Until then, let's take each day as it comes, okay?"

Reluctantly, Jason nodded and rested his forehead against Tommy's shoulder, forcing himself not to cling to the lean body. "Right."

"Good. – Are you done here?"

"Uh huh."

Tommy kissed Jason's hair. "Then let's go to bed; it's getting late."

Together, they went back into the bedroom and finished undressing. Nude, they slipped under the covers from opposite sides of the king-size bed. Jason sighed with pleasure as the mattress proved to have just the right mixture of firm and soft.

"Man, this place is something else," he smiled as he lay on his side, head propped up on one hand and faced his lover. "I've stayed at hotels that weren't as luxurious."

"Uh huh," Tommy commented, pleased to see that Jason's maudlin mood had vanished as quickly as it had come. "Must be nice to be able to live like that."

"Maybe. But I prefer your house."

"_Our_ house, you mean," Tommy corrected, rolling onto his side as well to look at Jason. "I know we haven't drawn up any papers, but I hope you know that what's mine is yours now, too."

Jason chuckled and touched Tommy's cheek. The skin was slightly rough against his palm with a day's growth of beard. "I know; thanks. Ditto. I'll get used to it eventually," he murmured. "Right now, it's still so new to be with you every day – man, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with the urge to go check that all of my stuff really is in the closet, that my desk is next to yours …"

"Is _that _why we've been making love morning, night and evening on some days lately?"

"Well … it's very reassuring to me," Jason replied innocently, letting his fingers trail downwards, tracing Tommy's collarbone and shoulder. "Sometimes, I'm feeling very insecure and have to make sure you're really there."

"Yeah, right," Tommy snorted, recognizing the glint in the midnight eyes. He could feel his pulse quicken. "Personally, I think you're just feeling super horny. Making up for all the nights we haven't spent together in the last five years, or something."

"That, too," Jason murmured and scratched lightly across the leanly-muscled chest with blunt nails. "Got any objections?" He circled one nipple, then took the brown nub between thumb and forefinger and pinched gently, making Tommy gasp.

"N-not at all." Blood rushed into his groin and Tommy could feel himself grow erect with astonishing speed.

"Good. Then you won't mind if I try to get rid of some more insecurities?"

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Tommy grinned, starting his own exploration of the strong naked body lying next to him. His hand stayed only briefly at the well-defined pecs and abs before it wandered from Jason's hipbone to the tight muscled butt. Tommy teased the cleft, eliciting a muted growl of approval from Jason, then slowly moved back towards the thatch of hair between Jason's thighs. His grin widened when he encountered a column of silk-skinned steel already waiting for him. "You must be _very _insecure."

"Terribly," Jason murmured, bending the truth more than slightly, and waited until Tommy's fingers closed around him. Immediately he followed suit, smiling when his lover shuddered with pleasure. "But I'll be feeling better by the second if you keep this up."

"Mmm," Tommy moaned. He was beginning to feel very good himself – and 'keeping it up' would soon no longer be an option. _-It'd be downright counterproductive, really,- _he thought woozily as waves of lust washed through his system. But he was far too glad that Jason had regained enough confidence to be the initiator for their lovemaking once more – a process that had started as soon as they'd moved in together. This was the first time, though, that he was doing so outside the safe haven of their home in Reefside. And what better place than this, a luxurious guest bedroom in a friend's house?

_-Oh, shit!- _

Tommy's eyes, which had already drifted shut in sensual bliss, snapped open. "Jase, wait!"

"What? Why?"

"We're at the Collins mansion – they have _staff_! What if someone hears us?"

Jason never stopped stroking his lover. "It's the middle of the night; I'm sure everybody is asleep by now. And if they aren't – well, we'll just have to make sure not to be too noisy, right?"

"And how exactly do you think we're going to manage that?" Despite his earlier quasi-objection, Tommy also continued to fondle Jason. He just couldn't resist the fire in his lover's eyes.

"Easy." Pressing Tommy into the pillow, Jason bent forward and thrust his tongue deeply between the narrow lips, silencing him effectively with a demanding kiss. Tommy moaned again as he responded, but the sound was indeed muffled, swallowed up by the hot mouth. When they parted at last for some much-needed air, both men were breathing hard and raring to go.

"Whoa," Tommy panted, intensifying his efforts to bring Jason to the same pitch of arousal he was at. Most gratifyingly, Jason was fully cooperating. "Okay, that worked. Now what?"

"Now – we do this." As a trained athlete, Jason could move very quickly. Before Tommy fully realized what he was doing, he'd turned around and was now lying head-to-foot with him, his mouth at exactly the right position to –

"Ahh!" Tommy barely stifled his ecstatic cry as he felt Jason go down on him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to suppress his voice for long, but the perfect solution was bobbing right before his eyes. Blindly, he grabbed the firm butt and hauled Jason's hips close. Seconds later, all that could be heard in the room was the soft creaking of the mattress and muted groans of two men engaged in a passionate sixty-nine.

---

They climaxed within seconds of each other. Sated and more than tired now, Jason reversed his position once more and rested his head on Tommy's shoulder, relishing the feel of smooth, slick skin against his own as he yawned. Tommy grinned.

"Still feel insecure?"

"Mmmnno. You're very good at reassuring me."

"Thanks. _Now_ can we sleep, please?"

"Mmm." Jason shifted until his lips were within easy reach for Tommy. The invitation was obvious, and irresistible.

Tommy angled his head and kissed Jason, feeling the same thrill as always when he tasted himself on the pliant mouth. "Good night, Bro."

"'Night." He mumbled something unintelligible and let his lids droop shut, so Tommy nudged him until the dark eyes opened sleepily once more.

"What was that you just said?"

Jason sighed and snuggled deeper into his lover's embrace. "I was just thinking … I wish Wes could have the same thing we do right now."

Tommy smiled. How like Jason to think of his friends, even half-asleep. "Yeah. But you know what? I have a feeling someday he will. All he needs to do is convince Eric."

"Eric can be such an idiot."

"Yes. And so can you sometimes, but I love you anyway. Now go to sleep!"

Minutes later, they both did.

_To Be Continued …_


	16. A Friend's Choice

_**Disclaimer: **__Not my sandbox; just borrowing the toys_

_**Note: **__In response to the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge; theme: acceptance (original) and #6, family (reprise)_

_You've probably been wondering what Jason and Tommy's friends think about their relationship; after all, nobody lives in a vacuum. Well, here's my take on it. – -deep breath- Right. Please note in the second half that I'm trying to extrapolate on the backstory I'm giving the character(s), and thus assign them reactions which I __think__ may be plausible; they do not necessarily reflect my own experiences and/or stand on the matter. No offense is meant to anyone. That said, enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out? _

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 16: A Friend's Choice**

Four cars were parked in front of Club Bulkmeyer when Jason and Tommy drove up to meet their friends after they'd spent Thanksgiving with Tommy's parents. In the past, the gang had met at hotels or inns, but found that such premises didn't offer them sufficient privacy to talk freely about their past as Rangers – and the subject came up frequently enough to present a problem.

Bulk's facility was already closed for the season – not even the California climate was warm enough to allow running a public open-air pool past October – but he was happy to augment his income by renting out the cabana/bar to small groups like theirs. Food and drinks were being catered, and he knew he could trust his former classmates to use his property responsibly.

Jason parked his car next to an upscale sedan that sported a rental-agency plaque in the rear window.

"Nice wheels," Tommy commented. "I wonder who's driving that."

"Probably Trini and Billy," Jason said. "I don't think it's quite Kat or Kim's style, Adam and Tanya use one of the Parks' cars whenever they're here, and Zack would go for more sporty wheels. Rocky has his own car, and I wouldn't have a clue what Aisha or Justin drive. Besides, they can certainly afford it."

"Sounds about right." Grabbing his jacket from the back seat, Tommy noticed that Jason's hands on the steering wheel were white-knuckled with tension. He reached over and loosened them with a gentle touch. "Don't be so anxious, Bro," he murmured. "Trust the guys to understand."

"What if they don't?"

"Then we'll deal with it – together," Tommy said firmly. "None of them has ever shown homophobic tendencies, and if one or two _can't_ accept our choice, I'm sure they'll be civil about it."

"I guess," Jason sighed and slowly unbuckled his seatbelt. "It's just … aren't _you _nervous? At all?"

"Sure I am. If I'd let myself, I'd be shaking in my boots – especially when I think about Kim or Kat's reaction. It's natural to be wary," Tommy comforted him. "But I honestly don't think they will kick us out or anything. We've been through too much together; we know what true evil is like. We used to depend on each other day in and day out, for our lives, hearts and sanity – I seriously doubt any one of them would condemn us or anyone else because they chose a different lifestyle. They're our _friends_, as good as family, and you know it."

"I do." Jason refrained from pointing out that in his experience, 'as good as family' didn't necessarily mean something positive. He inhaled deeply to calm his nerves, then gave his lover a smile that wobbled just a little. It was time to put his parents' reaction behind him and face this new challenge. "I just hope you're right."

"Yeah." Smiling back at Jason reassuringly, Tommy opened the door and swung his legs outside. "Why don't we find out?"

"Okay." Leaving the car as well, Jason clicked the remote lock and squared his shoulders determinedly. Better to find out what their friends' reaction would be as soon as possible than give himself a nervous breakdown from apprehension. "Let's get this over with."

---

They were greeted with an excited squeal from Kimberly who launched herself like a small pink missile at both men. "Jase, Tommy! It's _so_ good to see you! You look great! Oh my God, Tommy, I _still _can't get over how short your hair is – and you've finally shaved off that ridiculous beard, thank heavens! Have you heard Trini's news yet?"

"Hello to you, too, Beautiful," Tommy laughed, hugging the petite brunette and kissing her cheek before handing her over to Jason for an equally fond welcome. "We've only just arrived – let us at least see who all is already here!"

"Sorry," she grinned unrepentantly. "It's just, I'm _sooo _excited!"

"I'd never have guessed," Jason grinned, ruffling her stylishly-cut hair. Kimberly's enthusiastic greeting put him instantly at ease. "Hi, Kim."

"Hi, Jase. Mmm, still Mr. Muscle, I see! Gosh, we really should, like, meet more often – it's always such a rush to hear everyone's big news in person, not just in a written message or by phone." She looked him critically up and down, then gave Tommy the same once-over. "It's not fair; the older we get, the more handsome you two look!" she pouted. "Why don't guys ever gain weight or have bad hair days or something?"

"You've obviously never seen Tommy straight out of bed," Jason winked. "Then you'd know how his hair is sticking out every which way!" _-Oops, better watch it. I don't want to blurt our news out within the first five minutes!- _ Luckily, Kim and the others took his words innocently, as the voice of experience from best friends who routinely stayed overnight at each others' homes.

"Really? Maybe I should sleep at his house one of these days, then."

"Like Kevin would let you," Tommy snorted, referring to Kimberly's husband of two years. "I _think_ he'd trust me, but I don't know that it'd go that far – you _are _my ex, after all!"

"Well, there's that, yeah …" she grinned up impishly at her high school sweetheart. "_Could _he trust you not to get fresh with me?"

"Stop teasing Tommy and let someone else say hello, Kim," Trini chided with a smile, approaching the trio. "You're neglecting Jason, too!" She looked radiant, and the reason was quite apparent even to the men by the slight bulge of her stomach that her shirt couldn't hide.

"Good God, congratulations, Trini!" Jason exclaimed, started to give her his patented big-brother bear hug, then suddenly stopped himself. Trini laughed and stepped into his arms anyway.

"Thanks – and don't even _think_ of not giving me my hug! I won't break, I promise!"

"Well done, Will," Tommy said, pounding the former Blue Ranger on his back. Billy flinched, but couldn't help sporting a proud grin.

"Thank you. Consider yourselves hereby informed of our contribution to the dissemination of news," he said modestly.

"And great news it is, too. Couldn't happen to nicer people," Tommy replied after processing what Billy had just said. He wanted to add more, but was distracted by a tall young man he hardly recognized. "Justin? Is that you?"

"In living color," Justin winked. "Only, no longer exclusively blue. Hi, Tommy, Jason."

"Hi yourself. Any more news as big as this, anyone?" Jason asked, high-fiving Billy after greeting him more sedately. _-Bet we'll be giving Billy and Trini a run for their money later!-_

"Not as far as I know, but let's wait with the sharing until the others are here?" Kimberly suggested. "I'm positively dying of curiosity about what's going on in everybody's lives, but at least we won't have to tell everything twice."

"Good plan, Kim. Now, where can a guy get something to drink? I need something to hold me up in case of more surprises," Tommy joked, slanting a quick glance at Jason. _-And it'll be good to know where to find a stiff drink later, just in case we – or anyone else – needs one!- _

"I've set the bar up here," Farkus Bulkmeyer said from the doorway, smiling at his former classmates as he pointed towards the far corner. They'd never been friends, exactly, but it was still good to be marginally part of this reunion at least. "The caterer will arrive soon.; when you're ready to leave, just lock up the main entrance and drop the key in my mailbox on your way home, okay? Oh, and if you want to leave your cars here, don't worry; they'll be safe overnight. The number of a cab company is stuck under the car-shaped magnet on the fridge door."

"Thanks, Bulk," Trini said, impressed with his planning. Apparently, running a business had taught their former nemesis a lot. "You've thought of everything, it seems! Are you sure you don't want to stay until the rest of us arrive?"

"Maybe another time. Someone's waiting for me," he replied. His expression was a funny mixture of excitement and defiance, and it immediately set off Kimberly's 'romance alert'.

"Someone special, I guess – not just Skull, right?" she teased and had the satisfaction of seeing his ears turn red as he squirmed bashfully.

"Could be."

Jason nodded approvingly at the former bully. "In that case, don't let us keep you – and good luck!"

"Thanks. Have fun, geek squad," he grinned.

"You, too, Big Guy!" Bulk laughed at the fist Tommy mock-threateningly held under his nose, threw up his hands in a warding-off gesture and left.

They watched him walk around the pool to the parking lot, and Kim started bouncing excitedly on her feet as Adam, Tanya and Aisha passed him at the club's entrance and exchanged a few words before approaching the cabana.

"Hey, we're almost complete," she gushed. "Only Zack, Rocky and Kat are still missing!"

---

The caterer came first and was just done setting up platters and chafing dishes when the missing three former Rangers arrived. Rocky's surprise for the day was as immediately evident as Trini's pregnancy, even before everybody had said their welcomes. He was the last to join the group, dressed like most of the men in jeans and a button-down shirt – and wearing a clerical collar.

"Oh my God, Rocky," Aisha gaped at her old friend, brushing a near-reverent fingertip against the white cotton strip around his neck. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yeah," he laughed, the good humor in his brown eyes tempered with a serenity none of his friends had ever seen in them before. "Pretty amazing, isn't it? I could hardly believe it myself when I got accepted at the seminary."

"To put it mildly," Adam commented quietly. "Your mother must be over the moon. Didn't she always hope at least one of her children would take holy orders?"

"Uh huh. And now there's even two of us – Consuelo has entered the novitiate of the RSHM at Loyola Marymount university this summer, right after she completed her nursing degree," Rocky said proudly. "Both her oldest and youngest … Mama nearly fainted when we both told her last Christmas."

"Wow. Are you ordained yet?" Billy asked.

"No, but I will be soon. Meanwhile, I'm continuing my work at Boys' Town," Rocky explained. "It was one of the priests there who suggested it might be the right path for me. Once I got over the 'you've _got _to be kidding me' stage and started to look seriously at the issue … it seemed as if I'd finally come home."

Tanya shook her head. "You know … it's certainly a tremendous surprise, but strangely it also isn't – somehow, when I stop to think about it, it's the perfect choice for you."

"Thank you, Tanya. That means a lot to me."

"We're all happy for you," Jason said sincerely, but he couldn't help sending a covert, worried glance towards Tommy. Given the nature of _their_ impending revelation, Rocky's status as a future priest had the potential for some pretty big complications. He'd always been easy-going and open-minded, but the Catholic church's stance against same-sex relationships was among the most strident … and there was no telling how Rocky would react. _-Outright condemnation would be bad enough,- _he thought. _-but having our love labeled as a sin, especially by a close friend, would be even worse than Mom and Dad kicking me out. Can we handle that?-_

"Don't borrow unnecessary trouble, Bro," Tommy murmured quietly in his ear. He'd correctly interpreted the myriad of emotions flitting across Jason's expression; a mute cry for help had appeared in the dark eyes, so he'd come over to stand by his side and unobtrusively lend his support. "Not every priest follows official doctrine; Rocky may well have his own opinion."

"I hope so," Jason sighed, then determinedly tucked away his concerns. Tommy was right; Rocky _was _their friend, and might, if not condone, then at least tolerate their relationship. They'd find out soon enough. Meanwhile, there was food to be had.

By common consent, conversation stayed general while the dozen friends sat down to devour the delicious Mexican dishes. Only when neither Justin nor Rocky could eat another bite did Kimberly steer the topic back to everybody's news.

"Okay, now it's, like, showtime, guys," she declared emphatically, tapping a dessert spoon against her wine glass to catch everyone's attention. "Since we could hardly miss it, we already know Rocky's going to be Father DeSantos, and Billy and Trini will be Mom and Dad to a little Cranston. So what else is new?"

"Why don't _you _start, Kim?" Aisha teased her friend. "Because I for one have nothing much to tell – when I bought my house in Atlanta this spring, I already sent you my new address. Other than that, the people I'm working with at CDC are making _some _progress with the animal plague on the veldt, but it's slow going. Unless there's a real breakthrough in a lab somewhere soon and a vaccine gets developed, we're stuck with treating cases as we find them."

"Every animal you save is one more step to preserving Earth's indigenous species," Billy consoled her. "Even having found a cure for newly-infected animals is better than watching countless others die, isn't it?

"Yes. Doesn't stop me from wishing things would go faster, though," she sighed. "There are just so _many _variables in the plague, it's frustrating. And funding for animal-related endemics _sucks_," Aisha continued. "Enough of me, though. Kim?"

The petite gymnast shrugged. "Actually, I have nothing earth-shaking to tell, either. Kevin and I _may _have found a sponsor for the gymnastics school we want to set up."

"But that's great," Kat exclaimed. "Sponsors are so important for athletes!"

"Sure. I just wish they didn't expect us to be part of their newest advertising campaign," Kimberly said with a wry grin. "You know, former Pan-Global medalist and US Olympic team coach say our product is the bee's knees. It _is_ really quite good so I don't mind doing the endorsement, but having our faces plastered all over in newspaper ads and on billboards is bad enough. Unfortunately, they also want TV ads. So we've just finished filming a long promo segment for workout equipment … anyway, come next month, you guys can catch Kev and me on the Shopping Network. Just in time for the Christmas market."

"Woo-hoo, we've got us a celebrity," Zack crowed. "Way to go, Kim! I'm counting on one of you guys to record it and send me a copy! I'll be in Brazil with the Peace Corps, so I probably won't be able to catch it live," he finished. "We'll be helping a whole group of villages to dig a well, set up an irrigation system for their fields and hopefully build some kind of electrical plant with a water wheel. If that works, we can start building a hospital next, and I've been appointed chief engineer for the whole project."

"That's cool," Tanya remarked. "What about Toyah? Won't she miss her dad?" During college, Zack had finally gotten together with Angela, his high-school crush; they had a daughter together, but the relationship hadn't lasted. They were leading separate lives, but shared custody after an amicable parting.

Zack smiled proudly. "Yes, probably, but she started Kindergarten in September; she's too busy making new friends and learning to write so she can send me letters!"

"Good grief, is she old enough for school yet?"

"Five going on twenty, it feels like sometimes," Zack sighed comically.

"Poor baby," Tanya grinned a little maliciously, then turned serious once more. "I kind of envy you; Aisha and you are really doing your part to save the environment. Even Kim's at least promoting something healthy and helpful. That makes getting a part in a Broadway play sound rather insignificant."

"Broadway? Whoa – which play? A musical? What?" Her friends were practically falling all over themselves with excitement, and Tanya laughed, pleased at their enthusiasm on her behalf.

"I'll be Mama Morton in a new production of 'Chicago'," she explained. "You know, the prison matron? It's not a big part, but still quite a challenge."

"Who cares? It's Broadway!" Kat marveled.

"Well, yes," Tanya sighed. "I've never done any acting yet, though. The _singing _I'm okay with, but …"

"You'll be _fine_," Kat interrupted her emphatically."Don't worry so much! Me, I'd kill for a chance like that, but unfortunately nobody seems to be looking for a ballet-trained dancer. I stink at anything free-form, like hip-hop and so on. Besides, a lot of shows these days don't have big dance numbers anymore," she sighed.

"You go, Tanya!" Tommy said, genuinely happy for his former teammate. If anyone could cope with the stress of playing on one of the biggest stages in the world, it was she! After all, hadn't she stepped into Aisha's shoes as the Yellow Ranger with nary a hitch? To someone who could do _that_, Broadway would be child's play, and he didn't hesitate to tell her so.

Jason added his own comments to those of the others, feeling just as keyed up and happy at all the good things that had befallen each of them in the time since their last big reunion. However, he couldn't help but grow increasingly apprehensive about what kind of reaction he and Tommy would get once they announced their relationship. Would their friends be as happy for them, wish them luck, or would they be shocked?

_-Shocked seems likely. After all, I never told anyone but Tommy about being bi, he said himself that except for me he's never been interested in guys, and since he used to date two of the girls … will they assume that I seduced him, or something? That he's become my lover only to humor me?- _ He couldn't bear to think that his friends might pity him, and Tommy by association – in a way, that would be even worse than if one or more turned away in disgust and/or moral outrage. _-If the worst happens, they'll no longer want to have anything to do with us. I don't __believe__ they would, at least not all of them, but … what if they do? There's a real chance I might lose my best, my oldest friends just because I happened to fall in love with another man. I've already all but lost my parents; can I deal with another rejection like that? What's more, can I do that to Tommy? Because __he__ would suffer right along with me.-_

The unfairness of that seemed monumental to Jason. For a minute, he was tempted to signal Tommy to keep their relationship secret despite their resolution to come out, then gave himself a mental shake. _-I don't __know__ that the guys would turn on us. But some of them __might__. To say nothing would be the easiest way … only, I don't __want__ to keep our love a secret. Not from the people who mean as much to us as family. Even Sam Trueheart, as old as he is, accepts us. If he can do it, surely at least some of our friends can, too … and they deserve to know.-_

Across the table, he met Tommy's eyes. The steady love and support in that warm brown gaze managed to calm Jason's nerves like nothing else could've done, and restored his confidence. He nodded minutely, telling Tommy with a small smile that he'd received and understood the silent message. He drew a deep breath and concentrated once more on the lively conversation around them.

"But what about you, Adam? What will _you _do now that Tanya has to move to New York?" It was Justin who asked the question.

Adam smiled quietly. "I'm taking a sabbatical from my job and go with her. I'll still freelance for my newspaper, but I've decided to try and write that novel that's been rattling around in my mind for the past three years. New York is actually a good place to do background research. Since one or two publishers have expressed interest, I'll need the time off from the _Tribune _to write a complete outline _and _come up with sample chapters. So, if I'm lucky and get a contract … Tanya has agreed to marry me at last," he beamed.

"Way to go, man!"

"Yay, Tanya! You took your sweet time making up your mind!"

"How could you leave Adam hanging for so long? That was so mean …"

Once the hubbub died down – of course everyone's news and stories had to be discussed in detail – Trini did a quick tally. "That makes eight of us who've brought everyone up on what's happened since the last time we met. Okay, who hasn't spilled any beans yet?"

"Justin, Kat, Jason and Tommy," Kimberly replied promptly. She, too, had kept tabs. "So who's next?"

"Might as well be me," Justin grinned. He was the youngest of the group and had been a part of the team for the least amount of time, but he felt just as accepted as everyone else – especially now that he was an adult. "I already told you last year that I graduated from university; well, I finished and defended my doctoral thesis this spring. You're not the only one with a doctorate anymore, Tommy."

"Hey, great! I always knew you could do it!" Tommy smiled as proudly as any father; it had been a long time since he'd first taken on a mentor-like role to the bright kid, but that didn't mean he had ever lost interest in Justin. "Of course, we've got to discount our first certified genius – howmany titles have you collected by now, Will?"

"Actually, I sort of lost track of my honorary degrees," Billy admitted sheepishly. "I've _earned _three before and since I got tenure, though."

"You're tenured at MIT now? And you say that Trini's pregnancy is the only news you have to share? Not nice, _Professor_ Cranston," Aisha pouted.

"Sorry," Billy murmured contritely. "At one point, that was indeed the pinnacle of my aspirations. However, I have discovered that, compared to the prospect of impending parenthood, professional success pales quite significantly."

"Say what?" Zack blinked. Kimberly grinned and bopped him on the arm.

"Come on, even _I _understood that. Billy says that becoming a dad is more exciting than getting that professorship."

"Well put, Kim," Trini said approvingly.

"Indeed," confirmed the former Blue Ranger with a smile. "But we are digressing from Justin's disclosures. Tell us – now that you're finished with your education, have you found a job yet?"

"I have – and _that's_ my big news, really," Justin said. He actually blushed a little as he continued. "You guys know how damned hard it was for me to let TJ and the others go into space without me, right? I wanted to go with them so bad, it hurt. But at the time, I felt I couldn't leave my Dad … anyway, it won't be long until I get my chance after all. Guys – I've been accepted into the space program. I start training at Cape Canaveral in January to work on the ISS!"

"Justin, that is the best news ever! I'm so happy for you!" Katherine, who was sitting next to him, gave the young man a hug and kiss.

"Yes – if anyone deserves to be a bona-fide astronaut, it's you!" Tanya followed Kat's example. The others hid their smiles as a silly grin spread over Justin's still-boyish features at being embraced from either side by a beautiful woman. Obviously, he no longer considered his former teammates' signs of affection to be 'mothering'.

"Thanks," he said simply. "I just wish you could all come with me. Wouldn't that be something?"

"Oh yeah. Looking at the earth from space is _the _most awesome thing. I think you can only fully appreciate how beautiful and special our planet is if you've been away from it," Jason said softly. Watching Earthrise from the moon's surface was one of his most treasured memories.

"At least you got to go to the moon," Rocky grumbled. "If I hadn't injured my back just before graduation, I could at least have come on the Red Ranger mission with you."

"Trust me, we would've loved to have had you," Jason assured him seriously. "Leo and Aurico almost didn't make it on time, and I still get chills every time I remember that damnfool stunt the rookie pulled. He could've gotten us all killed!"

"Cole did what he thought he had to," Tommy interjected. "I could cheerfully have wrung his neck at the time as well, but let's be honest – if any of the rest of us had had access to a flying vehicle with enough firepower to blow up Serpentera, we would've done the same thing. Wouldn't we?"

The others laughed as Jason muttered something unintelligible and mock-glared at Tommy over the rim of his glass. "Come on, Jase, you know you would," Zack chortled. "You're as much of a hot-rodder and show-boater as the next guy – especially when you're wearing that red uniform!"

"Like you wouldn't have jumped in head first?"

"Sure. But I at least admit it," Zack snickered. "But time's a-wasting – who's next? Kat?"

"Why me?" she hedged. "Let Jason and Tommy go first. There's two of them, and only one of me!"

"Oh no – ladies first," Tommy declined with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Surely a world-traveling ballerina has far more interesting stuff to tell than two plain old California high school teachers." _-Until we drop our bombshell, that is!- _A quick sideways glance at Jason showed that his partner was aware of the underlying irony in Tommy's remark. So far, exciting as everyone's news was, none were entirely unexpected – just developments and opportunities growing naturally out of previously-chosen career paths. Well, except for Rocky becoming a priest; _that _had come very much out of left field.

The world-traveling ballerina stuck out her tongue at him, making everybody laugh. "Chicken."

"Yes," Tommy said smugly. "You still got to go first."

"Hmph," she huffed, then gave in gracefully. "Okay, okay – I quit the tour ballet and accepted a permanent position with the Montréal Opera House," she explained.

"Oh, that's cool," Tanya exclaimed. "Finally we'll be able to reach you whenever we want or need to!"

"Yes, it'll be much easier to keep in contact. It was such a drag having to look up your touring schedule even just for a phone call," Aisha agreed. "Why eastern Canada, though? I mean, I suppose it's a great country and everything, but – are you sure your French is good enough?"

"Most of the great choreographies were written in French, so yeah. The language is just as important to a dancer as some knowledge of Italian is to a classical musician," Kat said. "I've become fairly fluent – I had lots of practice recently."

"With that colleague of yours?" Kimberly guessed. Kat's ballet troupe had had an international cast, and she'd routinely shared a room with a Belgian dancer while on the road.

"Among others," Katherine replied with a mysterious little smile, folding her hands around the stem of her wine glass. It was Adam who caught the glint on her ring finger first and reached across the table to hold Kat's hand up into the light. He whistled, impressed by the delicate design of the diamonds set in a narrow platinum band.

"I think I can guess how. You're wearing some pretty fancy rocks there, Kat," he grinned. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have a very personal reason to move to Montréal for good. Or you wouldn't look like a cat that has swallowed the canary. What's his name, girl?"

Kat blushed prettily as her smile deepened. "André," she confessed in a soft voice. "André Beaumaris. And yes, he's asked me to marry him."

Kimberly squealed and jumped up, ran around the table and gave her successor a fierce hug. "Congratulations! Oh my God, I'm so happy for you!"

The tall blonde found herself swarmed by her friends as everyone started to express their own well-wishes and admire her ring. Sitting in the center of all the attention, Kat laughed breathlessly as she tried to answer the questions coming at her from all sides. "He's a businessman. I met him in Stockholm last summer. He proposed in Paris on Bastille Day, during the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. Yes, I love him very much." And on it went, with all the women wanting to know every little detail and the men listening indulgently.

At one point, Jason went over to the bar to refill his drink. He stood with his back to the room for a couple of minutes, listening with half an ear to his friends, when he sensed a familiar presence at his side. Tommy reached for the wine bottle as well and poured some into his own glass.

"Pretty big news all around, right, Bro?" he murmured quietly.

"Uh huh. I'm thrilled for all of them, Will and Trini especially. – How do you feel about Kat's engagement?" Jason asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm happy for her," Tommy replied without hesitation. "It sounds as if all her dreams are coming true – a fiancé who worships the ground she walks on and has enough money to keep her in style, life in a large, metropolitan city plusa job she loves with a prestigious company. It's what she always wanted, and what I could never give her. She deserves it."

"No regrets?"

"None." Tommy laid a reassuring hand on Jason's shoulder and squeezed briefly. "I've got everything I ever wanted in _you_, Jase," he whispered. Jason gave him a small, grateful smile in return.

"That's what I needed to hear; thanks, Tom." He swallowed. "Think the guys'll be as happy and excited about us?"

"I hope so," Tommy murmured, glancing over his shoulder to see that their friends were finally quieting down and settling once more into their seats. "Looks like we're about to find out soon." Indeed, Kimberly was waving to them from the table.

"Jase, Tommy, come back already! You're the only ones who're left," she called imperiously. "We want to hear your news, too – if you have any, that is?"

Tommy inhaled deeply while Jason briefly closed his eyes, sending a quick prayer to any Higher Power who would listen that the trust they had in their friends' loyalty and understanding wouldn't be misplaced. "Coming – anyone else want a refill?"

There were several requests for fresh drinks, which Jason and Tommy were quick to collect. Jason was grateful for the few extra minutes this simple activity afforded them, but it took a lot of effort to suppress the shaking of his hands as he filled a tray with various glasses and bottles. Tommy sent him a reassuring smile, then clapped his lover encouragingly on the back before picking up a carafe of juice and a bowl of chips. "Have faith in them, Bro," he said under his breath. "I do."

Jason just nodded, squared his shoulders and rejoined the group.

_-Please – don't let it be the last time!-_

---

All eyes seemed to be on them as Jason and Tommy took their seats side by side; this wasn't the way they'd planned to reveal their relationship, making a big announcement out of it, but the way it had turned out they apparently had no choice.

"Well? Don't keep us on tenterhooks forever, guys – _do _you have any big, dark secrets to share?" Aisha asked.

_-Depends on what you'd call 'dark',- _Jason thought. _-But big … hell, yeah.- _He produced a wry grin. "Well … I've quit my job at AGH," he said lightly.

"What? Why?" Tanya wanted to know. "I thought you loved teaching there!"

"I did. Only, a new high school opened in Brookhill. They were looking for a head of the whole sports department, I applied, and got the job. I started this fall."

"Cool," Justin commented. "Go you!"

"Yeah, that's quite a career move at your age. Way to go, Jason," Rocky said, clearly pleased for his friend. The others quickly echoed the sentiment.

"Where's Brookhill?" Kimberly asked next; she obviously had never heard of the place, which wasn't surprising.

"It's a small town about half an hour from Reefside," Tommy explained.

"Ah. And you live there now, or closer to Tommy's place?"

Jason surreptitiously drew a deep breath. _-Here we go …- _"Actually, I moved in with Tommy."

"Figures," Adam grinned, thinking nothing of it. "And how _is _life as two bachelors?"

"Great," Tommy smiled. "Best thing we ever did. Living together is fantastic."

Zack pulled a mock-disappointed face. "Is that all? Not that I'm not pleased for you, Jase," he hastened to add. "I'm sure you'll do fine in your new job. I was just expecting something more, well, _exciting_ from you guys – like … have you committed a crime lately, needed a psychiatrist or maybe turned gay?" he joked.

Tommy almost choked on his drink and had to cough as the others either laughed or groaned.

_-If only you knew! How the hell are we supposed to tell you anything when it's being turned into a questionable joke from the start?-_

"That's it, Zack – no more beer for you!" Aisha declared, trying to grab his drink while fighting a giggle attack. "This is Jasonand Tommy you're talking about!"

"So? I'll give you they're likely not criminals, but needing therapy or turning gay? Could _so _happen to either of our big heroes!" Zack fended off Aisha with one hand, holding the bottle over his head with the other, only to have his beer snatched away by Kimberly.

"Like they'd do any of those things," Kimberly snickered, then nearly upended the bottle over Zack's head in the playful tussle to keep it away from him. She opened her mouth to say something, but unexpectedly produced a very loud, very indelicate burp. "Oops."

For some reason, that set off even more laughter among the group. Everybody had had several drinks by now – nobody was truly _drunk_, but it seemed they had all definitely reached the 'silly' stage. All except Trini, that is, who had limited herself to half a glass of watered-down wine because of her pregnancy. Thus she was the only one who noticed that neither Jason nor Tommy looked particularly amused. In fact, instead of laughing along with the others Jason had gone slightly pale and was staring holes into the tabletop, while Tommy's whole expression had turned rather grim as he compressed his mouth and placed his hand on Jason's wrist in a light, comforting touch. She could even read Tommy's lips as he murmured softly to his best friend.

"Easy, Bro. I'm sure he didn't mean it in a bad way."

Trini watched Jason shudder slightly and send a grateful look at Tommy. His broad chest rose once as he inhaled deeply, then visibly caught himself. "Yeah, I know," he mouthed back.

Several puzzle pieces she'd collected over the years she'd known Jason suddenly coalesced into a whole picture. She remembered observing Jason closely during his time at the Peace Conference; he'd missed Tommy terribly, more so even than during the weeks when Tommy had retreated to his uncle's cabin after losing his Green Ranger Powers. For the longest time Jason had refused to make new friends; where Zack had flirted outrageously with every female in sight, Jason had suddenly started to hang out in exclusively male company, almost to the point of ignoring all girls and women outside the seminars. Thinking of Geneva also made her remember one instance, very late one night, where she'd seen him come out of a fellow _male _delegate's room. Vague suspicions she'd dismissed as too out there at the time came back with a vengeance now.

Jason and Tommy had been best friends, closer than brothers, practically from the moment they'd met. Trini had no doubt that either man wouldn't hesitate to admit they loved each other.

_-The question is – what __kind__ of love is between them?- _

Another memory arose, and it proved to be the last clue she needed. That inexplicable tension between those two that time in Angel Grove Park just before Billy and she had moved to Massachusetts. It had hardly been noticeable if one didn't know them well, but she _did_ – and had wondered about it at the time. Only, with all the excitement and inherent hassle of moving to the other side of the country, she'd forgotten to delve deeper into the matter. What if it hadn't just been a momentary bad mood on Tommy's part, or on Jason's, but something much more? _-It almost seemed as if they had something to hide … so, what if they did? And did Tommy just ever so slightly __emphasize__ that they're 'living together' now?- _Trini nearly gasped as her intuition (or Occam's Razor, as Billy would call it) led her to the onepossible conclusion that fit all the facts.

_-Oh. My. God! They really __are__ living __together__! Jason and Tommy are … they're __lovers__?!?-_

Her immediate reaction was, _-About time!- _

Trini briefly marveled that she wasn't shocked, only a little surprised, but in a weird way it all made sense. Tommy's relationships with Kimberly and Katherine hadn't worked out in the long run; she was certain that if he'd truly wanted it, he could've compromised to _make _things work. As for Jason, despite the efforts of some very nice, intelligent, pretty and capable women over the years, had never met a girl that could capture his heart completely. Why _shouldn't _they turn towards each other, given the undoubted depth of feeling already existing between them? They were certainly unbiased enough to see past gender to the person underneath, Trini knew.

_-What's more, they are great guys; loyal, trustworthy and caring deeply for the ones they love. They … they __deserve__ each other!-_

Zack's remark, and both men's reactions, suddenly took on a whole new meaning. If her assumption was correct – and the longer she rolled the idea around in her mind, the more certain she grew – the connotations were tactless at best, and downright discriminating at worst.

With an effort, Trini wrenched her attention back to her surroundings. Kim, Aisha and now Tanya were still berating Zack for his provocative question, certainly intended to be humorous … only, it wasn't, not anymore. In fact, he was in the process of digging himself into an even deeper hole.

"Well, you gotta admit, it'd be frickin' hilarious if the two most macho types on the team suddenly went around calling stuff 'FAB-u-lous!', wouldn't it? All that'd be missing is the limp wrist and a rainbow flag!"

"Way to go stereotyping people, Zack," Tommy all but growled while Jason's face blanched even more and he clenched his fists.

"Yeah, not funny," he grated. "I expected better from you."

"Hey, lighten up – can't you guys take a joke?" Zack protested with a grin. "It's not as if you _are_ gay, right?" For the first time, he looked directly at his friends. To his surprise, he read barely-suppressed anger in Tommy's expression, and when he looked more closely at Jason, the dark eyes were shuttered and filled with … _-Is that – pain? I've hurt him? How … why?- _The answer presented itself out of nowhere, and Zack gulped.

_-Oh shit!-_ Desperately, he tried denying what he sensed to be truth.

"But you're not," he stated into the sudden hush that fell around the table. "Right?" Zack looked around rather wildly, seeing only dawning comprehension and openmouthed stares on the group's faces as the others started adding up two and two, coming up five each time – and felt his confidence falter. "O-or are you? Jase? Tommy?"

"What if we were?" Tommy said with forced calm, reaching once more for Jason's hand. Their fingers instantly interlaced, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by anyone. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen; if anything, it was probably the worst possible way they could have told their friends. _-But the cat's out of the bag now; all we can do is make the best out of a shitty situation!-_

"Oh my," Aisha murmured, the first to find her voice. It released the others from their near-paralysis.

"You're _not _gay," Katherine protested. "I should know!" She was giving away too much information that had remained private until now; but she didn't care.

Tommy regarded her steadily and shrugged, just a little. "People change," he said quietly. It was enough.

The blue eyes went wide at his simple statement. "Not like this," she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. A new thought suddenly occurred to her, making her choke. "A-are you saying that … that everything that was between us was … a lie?!?"

"No. Everything I felt for you – and for Kim, before – was real."

"Then how … why …"

"I'm bisexual," Jason spoke up suddenly, his deep voice rough as he cut to the chase. "I've known for years. Just as I knew I loved Tommy." There it was, out in the open at last. Now it was up to their friends to decide what to make of his admission. He sat up straighter as the burden of secrecy fell away, and he managed a small smile. "I'm just lucky that he happens to feel the same way about me."

"Oh my God," Kimberly breathed into the still-stunned silence. "You two are … are really _lovers_?!?"

"Yes. We've been together for five years now," Tommy confirmed.

"Whoa," Adam murmured, expressing everyone's feelings in that single syllable.

Trini was just about to speak up, when her husband beat her to it. "In that case, felicitations are in order, aren't they?" Billy said calmly, getting up and offering his hand first to Jason, then to Tommy. His green eyes were open and sincere. "May you be as happy as Trini and I."

"Thanks, Will," Tommy replied with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks," Jason chimed in, relaxing a little. At least _one _of their friends wasn't rejecting them! "That means a lot to us."

"All the very, very best! You deserve it!" Trini came around the table and hugged them both. The couple's natural, matter-of-fact acceptance freed the others from their shock, and one by one they came forward to add their wishes to theirs. Not everyone was as quietly pleased as the Cranstons, or as exuberant as Aisha, but nobody seemed particularly upset, either. Only Zack visibly held back when it was his turn to face his friends.

"I'm sorry, guys," he murmured, squirming in embarrassment. "I didn't mean what I said the way it probably came across. If I'd known …"

"It's cool," Jason assured him. Shock and caution he could deal with; what he'd been afraid of was rejection, and that thankfully hadn't happened. On impulse, he reached out and drew his childhood friend into a one-armed hug-cum-backslap that was instantly returned. "We know you didn't do it on purpose."

"Never," Zack confirmed, getting his emotions firmly under control. "Congratulations." He surprised himself with how sincerely he meant it, and started to feel a little better.

"Thank you."

Once everybody had said their piece, Tommy saw Kimberly standing a little apart, her doe eyes brimming with tears. Concerned, he went over and touched her shoulder. "Kim? What's the matter?"

"I'm just happy that you're happy," she sniffled, then threw her arms around him, buried her face in his chest and started to sob. "Ever since I broke up with you, I've wished for you to find someone special to love. And now you have!"

"There, there," he murmured, feeling suddenly very helpless with his armful of loudly weeping femininity as he awkwardly patted her back. Jason looked on, torn between laughter and discomfort.

"Kim, please don't cry …" _-__Is__ she happy, or only hiding something else? Damn, I wish I could tell!- _His only answer was a muffled wail as the woman he'd always considered a baby sister clung even more firmly to his lover.

"You have a funny way of showing happiness, girlfriend," Aisha teased, coming to the men's rescue as she gently loosened Kim's death grip on Tommy's waist. She received a teary glare for her efforts as the petite brunette finally let go and looked up at her tall ex-boyfriend.

"Whatever. Jase is as special as they come!"

"Are you saying _I_ wasn't?" Kat asked, more sharply than she'd intended. She was still reeling with shock, but she, too, had added her well-wishes.

"Maybe not quite enough," Justin grinned. "Or not in the right way, anyhow. You gotta admit, for a supposedly hetero guy to hook up with another guy takes a special kind of special!"

Katherine opened her mouth for a heated reply, then shut it again as the truth of their youngest teammate's words hit her. Jason _was _special; so was Tommy, and their relationship. _-As friends, or otherwise. I've seen that years ago; how could I forget?- _"I guess," she admitted grudgingly at last. Then, an impish smile curled her lips. "At least I don't have to obsess about how Tommy found someone slimmer, or younger, or prettier than me," she murmured in a slightly reluctant attempt at humor.

It wasn't the funniest thing anyone could have said, but it was enough to bring laughter back to the group. Soon, they were all back in their seats and demanded to know more. The two men gladly obliged without going into too many details, and at last the hubbub died down. Someone proposed a toast to everyone's good news, and the reunion party was well and truly on again.

---

The group gradually split up into smaller units, each discussing different things or asking more questions of individuals. Tommy eventually excused himself from a stimulating conversation about morpher mechanics with Billy and Justin to take a trip to the bathroom. When he returned, he decided to step outside for a minute to catch some fresh air. He was looking out over the half-empty pool, musing on the evening's events and remembering the day he'd waited right here for Andros' call when he heard a light step approaching from behind. He turned and recognized Katherine in the moonlight, looking pretty as always, but with a troubled, almost anxious expression in her eyes.

"Hey, Kat," he said casually, gesturing her over.

She closed the distance between them hesitantly. "Hey yourself."

Something was clearly on her mind, and Tommy didn't need Billy or Justin's genius to figure out what it was. He waited for her to speak, but when she remained silent, fidgeting uncomfortably, he decided to spare her the effort of finding the right words. He came straight to the point. "Are you having problems with us? Jason and me, I mean?"

The blonde dancer shot him a look that was half chagrined at being so easy to read, and half grateful that he recognized her need to breach the subject once more. She sighed, then plunged ahead.

"Not as such – that you're with another man, I mean. Half the male dancers in my company were gay; if I'd had issues with that, I'd have missed out on making quite a few good friends. Although I must admit, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized …" She shrugged and smiled apologetically. "I don't think any of us saw _that _coming."

"We kinda figured that," he said dryly. "But if that isn't it – then what else is wrong? You _do _have something on your mind – something that troubles you. Haven't you?"

"Well … yes," she admitted in a small voice, then raised her chin determinedly. "Tommy, don't get me wrong; I'm glad you found someone you say you love. And I realize this is going to sound incredibly self-centered and maybe arrogant, even, but … did my breaking up with you have anything to do with your decision to get together with Jason?" she finished in a rush, blushing. "I'm sorry, but I need to know."

He smiled, having halfway expected the question. "Whether I was driven into a relationship that's … let's call it unconventional, huh … because we _both _decided to call it quits?"

"Something like that, yes."

Tommy tapped her flushed cheek with his fingers in a gentle, playful slap. "The answer's no. Kat, if you think back we both knew it wasn't working out. You want the big city and everything that goes with it. I'm not cut out for a big social life, red-carpet events, the arts and so on. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy stuff like that on occasion, but I don't thrive on it the way you do."

"Put like that, it sounds incredibly shallow," she frowned.

"Oh, I know you're not. There's nothing wrong about having and liking an active social life. You, and many other people, genuinely care about what you do, all those charity functions, soirées and whatnot. And I realize that there's a lot of merit in many of these activities, but it's just not me. Not on that scale, anyway. I _like_ living in a small town, teaching, doing research, hanging out with a few close friends. Come crunch time, you'd have been as unhappy in my world as I'd be in yours, and since neither you nor I was ready to compromise, it was right and _honest_ for us to end it. You just happened to be the one to say it first."

"Oh." She mulled over what he'd said. "Then … you getting together with Jason had nothing to do with m- … with us?"

"Nope." Seeing that Kat still looked dubious, Tommy decided that a few details were necessary to set her mind at ease. She deserved that much from him. "Kat … I'd gotten your letter several days _before _Jason revealed his feelings for me. Sure, it was part of the many crappy things that were going on in my life at the time, and yes, I _was _bummed out by it. A lot. After all, we'd been together for quite some time, and I really cared about you. But was it a deciding factor in starting my relationship with him? Not at all."

"What was?" Kat asked curiously. "If you don't mind telling me, that is."

Tommy let his mind wander back to that rainy night over five years ago. "As I said, my life was rather in a mess at the time – and getting your letter certainly contributed to my general depression. It just wasn't the main thing. Jase told me he loved me because he realized I needed to hear it, but that was all; he made no demands whatsoever. He laid it out, then completely left it up to me to choose to act on it – or not. The decision was wholly mine. And I'm glad I made the one I did."

"But … but you never indicated even once in our years together that you were, uh …"

"Attracted to him? Or to guys in general?"

"Um, both, I guess."

He rubbed his hand along his neck and blushed a little. "If you must know … I've had a fantasy or two," he confessed. "After all, I've always been close to Jason, and since he told me he was bi a couple of years earlier, I kinda got a little curious. But I never thought I'd _act _on these fantasies. Certainly not with any other guy."

"Just Jason?"

"Yeah. Like Justin and Kim said, he's special."

"I … see," Kat said slowly. She turned away, staring into the darkness. Then – "You really love him, don't you?" she asked abruptly.

"Uh huh. As soon as I admitted that to myself, something clicked in my mind. It just felt _right_, you know?"

"That's how it happened between me and André," she said slowly. "Marrying him means that eventually I'll have to give up my career, to be his full-time wife and a mother to the children we hope to have one day. At first I wasn't even sure whether I could do that, if I should accept his proposal, but when I realized I was totally miserable without him …"

"Exactly. Jason trusted me enough to offer me his heart. How could I possibly refuse?" Tommy asked rhetorically, a reminiscent smile on his lips. "After that … well, let's just say it was all but impossible to go back to being 'just' friends. And we surely wouldn't be where we are now – together, happy, and very much in love."

"Then I'm glad for you," Kat replied with a relieved smile. "Truly. For you _and _him."

"Thanks." Their eyes met, and with a small chuckle Tommy drew her into a light embrace and kissed her cheek. He found that he still liked having her gentle curves mold against him. "You have one advantage over Jase – you're easier to hug," he murmured into her hair. "Less … compact."

The tall blonde giggled. "I should think so. Don't let Jason hear you say that, though!"

"Don't let me hear him say what?" a deep voice came from behind her back, and Kat flinched, disengaging herself quickly.

"J-jason," she stuttered, clearly flustered at being found in Tommy's arms, however innocently. "I, ah, we didn't … I mean, we just … oh God …"

He came forward, a gentle smile on his lips. To her relief, the midnight-dark eyes were calm. "Hey, relax," Jason soothed her. "I know you did nothing to concern me. Are you okay?"

"We both are," Tommy said, but didn't try to hold on to his ex-girlfriend. "Aren't we, Kat?"

"Absolutely." She watched as Jason moved forward, past her, to stand next to his partner. They didn't touch, just shared a glance and a smile, and suddenly she had an impression as if they were actually embracing merely by that. Years ago, it would have disturbed her; now, it seemed quite natural. _-What a shame for girls everywhere! I bet a lot of hearts were broken when you came out. But at least André won't have to worry about Tommy wanting me back or something. Actually …I think … no, I __know__ André is going to like them!- _Kat felt her mood shift suddenly and found herself bubbling with joy, for herself and her friends. It enabled her to tease them with a mock-regretful sigh as she let her eyes sweep over two of the most attractive men she knew – barring her fiancé, of course.

"You know, it's really unfair; if either one of you _had _to choose another guy, couldn't you at least have gone for someone short, fat or ugly?"

Jason grinned and cast a sideways look at his lover that made Tommy's breath catch in his throat. "Sorry. I like 'em tall, dark and gorgeous. Just like you, huh?" The picture she'd shown them of her future husband had clearly indicated that Kat remained true to type; Tommy in an Armani suit and a conventionally-stylish haircut would look a lot like the Canadian businessman.

"And me," Tommy murmured warmly, letting his eyes linger on Jason's broad chest, his impressive muscles subtly outlined by the soft fabric of his jersey shirt. He, too, was thinking that Kat's future husband had nothing on Jason in the good looks department.

Kat watched them not-so-surreptitiously ogle each other and had to laugh. "Touché. And I think that's my clue to leave this mutual admiration society, before you guys start seriously embarrassing me!" She snickered at the wholly unconvincing innocent expressions the men were striving for. On impulse, she kissed first Tommy, then Jason. "Be happy, guys." With a quick wave, she spun on her heels and went back inside.

---

"So, how was it to hold a woman again after five years of being with a man?" Jason casually asked Tommy once they were safely alone again.

Tommy started. "How did you –" He stopped himself. _-Shit, of __course__ Jase would know – he's had partners of both genders before you, remember?- _"Never mind," he muttered, his face suffused with sudden color.

Jason grinned. "Been there, done that," he replied softly, confirming his lover's assumption. "Well, kinda, anyway. After the first time I'd been with a guy and found I liked it, it was sort of a relief to discover that I could still get a hard-on from seeing or touching a sexy girl. Didn't exactly make things easier when you're seventeen and trying to figure out your sexuality, but them's the breaks." He shrugged, then winked. "Well?"

"I _didn't _get a hard-on over Kat, if that's what you want to know," Tommy grumbled, then sighed. "I gotta admit, though, it felt good. I love having you against me, but …"

"But there's nothing quite like feeling a pair of tits smushed against your chest, right? And from what little I've seen, Kat's are as nice as they come," Jason said with a tiny leer.

"Keep your mind out of the gutter, Bro; as if I'd tell you! Not outside the bedroom, anyway," Tommy added under his breath, making his partner smirk. Then, he placed one hand on the broad shoulder. "You're not jealous, are you?"

Jason covered the long fingers with his own. "Nah. I trust you implicitly. Kat, too."

"Good." They stood side by side, connected only by the light touch of hands and their feelings for each other, a good silence settling over them. At last, Jason spoke, his voice pensive and hushed.

"You were right about the guys. They took it amazingly well – didn't judge us at all."

"I told you."

"Yeah. Still, coming out today could've gone terribly wrong. Especially when Zack started making those cracks."

"But it didn't – and I'm pretty certain he's not gonna do it again."

Jason snorted lightly. "I wouldn't count on it. You think _I _have a warped sense of humor? Just wait until he's had some time to think things over. Except for when you first tried to ask Kim out, you haven't given him that kind of ammunition yet. He's gonna come up with all sorts of things to tease us with."

Tommy groaned. "Oh, great." Then he recovered. "At least we can be sure it won't be malicious or mean, though."

"No. And I for one can live with a few jokes as long as it's among friends."

"Me, too." Tommy looked sideways at his lover, smiling warmly. "Life feels pretty good right now, doesn't it?"

Jason smiled back and squeezed Tommy's hand. "Very."

---

Both men were unaware that their quiet conversation was being observed from inside the cabana. Aisha, Justin and Tanya couldn't hear their words, but body language and facial expression told them a lot.

"They look good together," Tanya said softly. "I've seen them stand like this a number of times after Jason came back from Geneva, but I've never realized just how much feeling there is between them."

"Uh huh," Aisha agreed. "Still, I can't remember being _this _floored by news from anyone – and among the twelve of us, we've had a few doozies over the years!"

"Talk about something totally coming out of left field," Justin murmured. "Did _anyone _see that coming?"

"Trini, I think; she mentioned something a while ago. Does it bother you?"

Justin shrugged. "Me? Not particularly. It'll take a while to let it sink in because I've seen how gaga Tommy used to be over Kat, but other than that? Nope. They're as much my friends as my family; I want them to be happy."

"Which they seem to be," Tanya said. "And that's what matters, isn't it? Somehow I don't care that they're both guys."

"Family is the right word," Aisha nodded. "We all are. Anyway, what they do behind closed doors is none of our business. Same-sex orientation isn't catching, after all, and they're hardly the type to start groping each other in public."

"A pity, really," Tanya grinned wickedly. Seeing her companions' slightly scandalized looks, she laughed. "Come on, Ish – Jason and Tommy are hot guys by anyone's standard. Don't tell me the idea of them doing the naughty together, all nicely sweaty and nekkid, doesn't make you get at least a _little_, um, bothered!"

"Well …" Aisha drawled, instinctively licking her lips. "Now that you mention it, girlfriend …"

"Thanks for a mental image I so didn't need, ladies," Justin groaned comically. "Excuse me while I go looking for something more exciting to _me _– like talking quantum physics with Will and Trini!" He beat a hasty retreat as the two former Yellow Rangers snickered.

"Men," Aisha giggled. "They can be such prudes!"

"Yeah. Good thing Rocky didn't hear us, though – we might've shocked him right out of his collar!"

"Oh my, yes," Aisha gasped with suppressed laughter. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Beats me," Tanya frowned, looking around. "I don't see him. Maybe he's gone to the restroom?"

"Could be. Come on, let's see if there's some gin and tonic left; I could use another drink."

"Hmm, I'm kinda thirsty, too."

"Thirst has _nothing _to do with it," Aisha said dryly as he led her successor to the bar. "I need to drown my sorrow that two hot, intelligent, _nice_ guys hooked up each other while I'm still single!"

Tanya laughed. "As if you didn't have tons of fun trying to catch one for yourself!"

---

Rocky hadn't gone to the bathroom as Tanya had surmised; he'd crossed to the other side of the pool for some quiet and solitude instead. There were a few things on his mind that he needed to sort out, and he couldn't do that in a happy, noisy group. He found a wooden bench almost hidden behind some foliage and started to think about his problem.

_-Jason and Tommy. Or rather, their relationship.-_ As a friend, he knew what he felt about them as people, but as a future priest he couldn't ignore what he _should _be feeling about them as a couple. Therein lay Rocky's problem, and it was a big one. However, it was impossible to make any kind of decision on his further actions without having talked to them first, he concluded at last. _-The question is, when and where?-_

Rocky looked up from his meditatively-steepled hands and glanced towards the cabana; Tommy was standing not too far from the doorway, his shape outlined by the light streaming from the windows. Kat joined him; they talked, then hugged. Rocky felt a momentary relief that was instantly followed by slight shame; no matter what, he shouldn't condone what looked like betrayal between committed partners! He caught his breath as Jason stepped towards them, but there was no confrontation; instead, after another brief exchange of words, Katherine kissed both their cheeks before going back inside.

He observed the light, gentle touch Tommy offered Jason, and saw them smile at each other. The distance between them and his vantage point was too great to fully read their expressions, they were further obscured by the darkness, but even so it was obvious that the men shared a deep bond that went beyond friendship and thus could easily overlook a small, intimate yet innocent gesture towards a friend.

Rocky sighed as he unfurled from his seat. He _really_ needed to talk to them – and the sooner, the better. However, he would have to choose a better opportunity.

Determinedly, he walked around the pool once more and approached Jason and Tommy. They heard his footsteps on the tiled path; as soon as they recognized him, Jason released Tommy's hand, letting it glide off his shoulder. Rocky noted absently that it was a natural, easy gesture, without a trace of guilt or shame. _-Just like my brother lets go of his wife if someone catches them smooching at family gatherings.- _The realization brought a reluctant smile to his face, and he managed to address them with a voice that was reasonably calm.

"Hey, guys."

"Rocky. What's up?" Tommy replied lightly. Jason just nodded.

Rocky briefly closed his eyes and sent up a quick, silent prayer that he might find the right words to say what he needed. Yet he had to swallow twice before he could find his voice.

"I-I need to talk to you."

Jason's smile vanished, and he stiffened slightly. "What about?" he asked warily.

"Something's that important – to me, anyway."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Sounds ominous."

Rocky tilted his head and made a somewhat helpless gesture. "It doesn't have to be. But this is neither the time nor the place. Can we meet somewhere private tomorrow? Please?"

Tommy exchanged a glance with Jason. After a second's hesitation, he received a minute nod. Turning back to Rocky, he shrugged. "Sure. Why don't we have breakfast together? There's an I-Hop right next to our hotel."

"Perfect. Around ten?"

"Why not. Now let's get back inside; I see Tanya's getting ready to sing for us. Wouldn't want to miss that."

"Me neither," Jason murmured, in what sounded to Rocky like forced cheerfulness, and led the way.

---

"What do you think Rocky wants to talk about?" Jason asked the next morning as they entered the well-lit restaurant. The regular breakfast crowd had already left, so they could choose a booth at the back, well away from the few remaining customers. Tommy signaled for coffee and reached for the menu, yawning. They'd had a late night, and instead of sleeping in as they'd planned, here they were waiting for their fellow Red Ranger.

"No idea, but I'm guessing it's about us," he replied, quickly making his selection as the server brought two steaming cups. "Pancakes, toast, bacon and two eggs, over easy."

"The same for me, please." Jason laid the menu aside and took a first sip of his coffee, nearly scalding his lips. "Damn, that's hot!"

"This place doesn't have to put warnings on the beverages yet," Rocky had come in right behind them, unnoticed, and slid into the booth as well. "Good morning, guys." He quickly placed his order as well.

"Morning, Rocko," his friends chorused. They chatted idly until their food arrived, then dug in. Only when they were finished, the platters removed and refills had been poured did Jason fix his one-time successor with a steady look.

"So what's so important that you had to drag us out of bed this early today?"

Rocky folded his hands around his mug. He wouldn't meet his friends' eyes as he weighed his words carefully – if he got it wrong, he might alienate Jason and Tommy completely, and he didn't want _that_ to happen. If only he knew how to start! Gathering his courage at last, Rocky drew a deep breath and looked fully into their eyes. "There's no easy way of saying this," he began.

"Just spill it, man. Beating around a bush never does any good," Tommy said.

Rocky had to grin at the customary take-charge attitude, but what little humor there was vanished again right away. "Too true. Okay, then ... Jase, Tommy – please believe me when I say that I meant what I said last night. I honestly wish to see both of you happy. It's just … I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I'm _not _having a problem with your relationship."

"Because of your vocation, you mean?"

"It goes further than that. Accepting, or condoning a same-sex relationship is against everything my faith has taught me. In the eyes of the Church, homosexuality is a sin, and that's that," he said unhappily.

"No offense, Rocky, but neither one of us is Catholic, like you," Jason murmured. This was what they had feared, but at least Rocky seemed to be willing to listen. "And strictly speaking, we're both bisexual, not gay."

"I know, and I'm not trying to impose my faith onto you. But as far as being gay or bi is concerned … I just can't get past the fact that no matter how you look at it, the _act _is the same," Rocky replied. "I've prayed and turned it round in my mind all night, but the answer was always this – according to everything I believe in, what you're doing is _wrong_. My mind is trying to tell me it isn't, that you're still good men, but my gut says otherwise. It's driving me nuts." He laughed humorlessly. "As a priest, I'm supposed to love the person, hate the sin. I found out that it's one thing to do that when counseling strangers who are_ thinking _about having homosexual leanings, quite another when it's two of my closest friends who are actively engaged in a same-sex relationship," he finished with a sigh.

"So in your eyes, we're committing a sin by being together?" Tommy asked.

"Yes … no … shoot, I don't know," Rocky replied, running both hands through his hair in a despairing gesture. "I know you guys; I'd swear any oath that you're good, honest, honorable men. We're almost family; I'm proud to be your friend. But …" He shook his head. "It's a major dilemma for me, and I don't know what to do!"

"Why do anything?" Jason wanted to know. "We're not trying to convert or corrupt anyone, we're not imposing our chosen lifestyle on other people …"

"That's exactly part of the problem, Jason," Rocky leaned forward earnestly. "You _chose _to enter a same-sex relationship. Therefore you _can_ choose other partners if you truly want to. If you were true homosexuals it'd be all but impossible, I know, but as you aren't …" he let his voice trail off as he saw a flash of anger in Tommy's eyes.

"What do you expect us to do? Split up and go looking for some girl just so we can be 'normal'? Sorry, but things don't work that way," Tommy growled. "I'm not giving up on what Jase and I have to fit anyone's outdated notion of propriety!"

"You have a _choice_," Rocky insisted stubbornly, only to be interrupted by Jason.

"No, we don't."

"But …"

"Just listen, Rocky, okay?" Jason requested, waiting until Rocky grudgingly subsided.

"How do you choose love?" he asked next, his deep voice calm and measured. "I've loved Tommy as a friend, as the brother I never had practically from the start. You must've known that for years; surely not even your church has any objection to _that_, right?" He barely acknowledged Rocky's nod before he continued. "It was only when I discovered I was bisexual that I realized I was also _in love_ with him. For years, I hid my feelings for fear I would destroy what we already had if I ever betrayed them to anyone." His tone rang with conviction as he continued. "I never _asked_ to love another man, Rocky. That feeling grew within me without my volition, was _given_ to me, and the only choice I ever had was whether to continue living a lie or to admit my feelings to Tommy. I chose honesty, and was fortunate that my feelings were – are – returned."

Jason drew a deep, shuddering breath, finding it harder than anticipated to lay his heart bare like that to someone other than Tommy. "Now you tell me if that is a sin!"

"Jase and I tried to find love with women, but as it turned out, neither one of us ever found one who could complete us the way we do each other, Rocky," Tommy added softly. "Would you really have us throw away something good and deep and true, just because some old man in Rome, or maybe society and convention in general, say it's not right? We can't do that. If we did, we'd be denying who and what we are – and I believe that _that _would be the real sin. Wouldn't it?"

Rocky had no answer. He desperately wanted to say yes, to find a way to refute what his friends had just revealed to him, but couldn't do it; the only argument he could think of was 'Everyone says so'. _-That'd be lamer than a one-legged duck!-_ However, he also couldn't bring himself to just blithely go against every single one of his own beliefs. He slowly shook his head.

"I don't know. I truly don't know, guys. As your friend, I'm tempted to say 'okay, fine, forget about it, it's cool', but I _am _Catholic _and _will soon bea priest, and therefore bound to the teachings of my faith at the very least. I _have_ to follow the Church's precepts – and they tell me unequivocally it's _not_ cool, I _can't_ forget it."

Helplessly, the three stared at each other. They had a brief respite when the server came by and topped up their coffees, but the conundrum remained, looming large over their heads.

"So what are we going to do?" Jason asked at last in a hushed voice. "You can't accept us, and we can't give up what we share. Where does that leave us as friends?"

Rocky sighed. "Unfortunately, at some distance, I'm afraid. I don't _want _to keep you at arm's length, but I feel that I _have_ to. I'll certainly pray for guidance and will talk to one or two of my superiors, to see if they can help me sort it out, but until then …"

"I can see where you're coming from, even if it's not something I believe in myself, or even think is right. At least you're being honest with us," Tommy murmured unhappily.

"I have to be," Rocky said simply. "Even if it doesn't look that way right now, I'd still like to think of us as friends. I care about you as much as I care about my family. And I'll also pray that somehow, some day things will change and I'll get used to the idea of you as a couple. Different legislation or a readjustment of the Church's official policy might help; I think steps are being taken, or will be in the not-too-distant future. We'll have to wait and see."

"Fair enough," Jason replied. "But what about in the meantime? We're bound to run into each other from time to time; if only when the whole gang meets, like last night. What then?"

Rocky smiled a little. "Can we agree to pretend I don't know? You don't tell me about your relationship, and I'll refrain from trying to change your minds – not that I probably could, anyway," he shrugged. "That'll be _my_ choice. I realize it's not ideal, but it's the only way I can think of."

"We'll have to tell the others as well, or it's never gonna work," Tommy muttered. "And it'll require some pretty fancy verbal tap-dancing from everyone. That sucks."

"Yes, it does. But if it's okay with you, I'll tell them and explain," Rocky offered. "After all, it's more my problem than yours."

Jason and Tommy shared a long look, communicating silently, before Jason made the decision for both of them.

"Thanks, we appreciate it. And thanks as well for not condemning us outright," he added quietly, the memory of his parents' rejection haunting him once more. At least their extended family of friends remained more or less intact, despite Rocky's caveat!

"I'd never do that. Thank _you _for trying to understand my position."

"It's the least we can do," Tommy said.

"Exactly," Rocky smiled, then heaved himself to his feet. He picked up his bill and prepared to leave. "If I hurry, I can still make it to Mass at Sacred Heart," he said apologetically. "Might as well start praying for guidance right now."

"Good luck with that," Tommy smiled back.

"Yeah – and if you can, throw in a prayer for everyone's happiness?" Jason requested.

"I always do. _Vaya con Dios_, guys." With a parting wave, he left.

_-'Go with God'. How fitting.- _Pensively, Jason finished his coffee. "That wasn't as bad as I'd feared," he said at last. "I'm not thrilled that Rocky feels the way he does, but at least he hasn't slammed any doors in our faces."

"No. And things _are _changing; who knows, maybe one day he'll even get to marry a same-sex couple."

"As a Catholic priest, in a Church?" Jason snorted. "Not bloody likely. Not until Hell freezes over, anyway."

"Oh ye of little faith," Tommy said lightly, sliding out of their booth. It was nearing noon; they needed to pack, drop in at the Olivers' house to say good-bye and drive home to Reefside. "Stranger things have happened."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Jason glanced briefly at the bill, took the correct amount of notes from his wallet and handed them to the cashier. Side by side, they left the restaurant and walked the short distance back to their motel.

His partner grinned. "Let's see … you being picked by a floating head in a giant tube to fight an evil space sorceress. Her picking me to fight _you_. Going into space together to fight a giant mechanical dragon. Me getting a doctorate in paleontology. Us becoming lovers. You baking a cake that's actually edible – hey!" He barely managed to duck Jason's playful punch.

"The strangest thing that ever happened is that we love each other," Jason said softly once they were back in the privacy of their room and slid his arms around Tommy's waist. He didn't resist when Tommy tightened the embrace and nuzzled his cheek.

"That's not the strangest thing," Tommy murmured. "It's the _best_!" His lips closed over Jason's in a deep yet gentle kiss.

Jason moaned contentedly as he accepted the questing tongue. _-Damn right it is!-_

_To Be Continued …_


	17. Homecoming 1

_**Disclaimer: **__Not mine, not getting paid ... dammit, if I had only $0.01 per word I've ever written, I'd be set for life!_

_**Note I: **__In response to the PRSW22 challenge on LiveJournal; themes #09, hallways and #15, peace  
I'm jumping even more into the future, here; four years have passed and everything's rosy for the boys. Or maybe not? _

_**Note II:**__ Another split-in-half chapter, I'm afraid. Once more, the boys insisted on having the story go __their__ way, not mine … and since this has reached proportions (again -sigh-) in which I'd have to post it in two parts anyway, I decided I might just as well cut it off where I did. Oh, and this chapter is more heavily edited than others to keep the rating manageable; the boys decided to go a little kinky on me. -evil grin- Look into my profile for places to find the __unedited__ version!_

_**Note III: **__I'm going on vacation on July 9, and will have neither 'net access nor even a computer for two weeks. I doubt I'll get the second half finished before that date (don't give up hope __quite__ yet, though) … but it may well be that the next part, be it chapter 17 or 18, won't be coming your way until mid-August, sorry. – Still, enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 17: Homecoming, Pt. 1**

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, a few words from Brookhill High's first-ever valedictorian, Sean Allerton!" Principal Massini took his seat among applause from the assembled families and cheers from the graduating class. Sitting midway in the audience, Tommy shifted in his seat. He hoped that the boy's speech would be more interesting than the ubiquitous speeches from the mayor, the PTA chairperson and Anton Mercer, who sat on the school board for both Brookhill and Reefside High; thankfully, he'd altered yesterday's address from Reefside enough to not be boring. Jason was sitting up on the dais with his colleagues; once the valedictorian had had his say, there would only be the handing out of diplomas, a bit of mingling with families afterwards and they'd be free to enjoy a couple of months of blessed freedom from work. Tommy smiled as he thought about their plans for the summer. There would be no vacation this year, nor had he another research project lined up, but something equally exciting was coming up – they were going to do building work.

During the past four years, Jason and Tommy had discovered that while the house at 1992 Valencia Road might be big enough for a couple, it still lacked space for two people who both needed a vastly different working library, separate computers and desks. Jason had set up an office of sorts in the spare bedroom, Tommy was using the Dino Lair for his research, but they had no more room for overnight guests – and whenever one of them had visitors, the other had to vacate the living room. As they both tended to get very involved with their students, often inviting them over for talks, that happened far too often for their liking. Thus, they had decided that they'd use money Jason had saved to buy his own property one day for some much-needed remodeling – namely, to build an extension into the back yard. The plans were ready, finances sorted out, and the contractor was scheduled to arrive on their doorstep first thing on Monday morning. Hopefully, by the start of the new school year in September, they'd be done.

Tamping down on his excitement, Tommy concentrated once more on the dais. Sean was grinning bashfully from ear to ear as he pulled a thankfully thin sheaf of paper out from under his red-and-black graduation gown. He waited for his classmates' cheers to die down, then cleared his throat.

"Mr. Mayor, Principal Massini, Dr. Mercer, Ms. Janson, thank you all for your kind words. Ladies and gentlemen, class of 2013!

"When we started here at Brookhill High four years ago, we were told that we not only had to make sure that, as a brand-spanking new high school, it was our duty to see that academic and moral standards would be as high as we could possibly make them, but also that as the first graduating class _ever _we had to establish new traditions we would like to see continue at our school. I don't know whether our teachers would completely agree, but overall I think most of us gave it their best shot. Well, some more than others." He grinned briefly. "We were also told that there are more things involved in getting an education than book learning, and that we'd have to figure _them_ out on our own. I believe we succeeded. We were the ones who had to find, then show the way to those coming behind us. That is why we named our sports teams the way we did – the Trailblazers, the Pioneers, the Searchers, to name just a few."

Sean waited for the laughter and cheers to die down, then continued. "It would take too long to list all the different customs and things we started, but let me assure you, we did a _lot_! However, there are two more traditions we would like to establish _today_ – and the first is that the valedictorian – me – is not gonna bore you with another long speech. Instead, a few representatives of the class of 2013 would like to tell you all what we've learned. Josh, if you'll start?"

Another boy walked up the dais, accompanied by applause and a few puzzled looks. He bent towards the microphone. "Hi. I'm Josh Barkowski, and I'm a jock." He grinned at the whistles and catcalls from his friends. "In my time at Brookhill High I learned that there's more to life than sports, and that talent is not enough – to be really good also requires dedication and a lot of effort. I earned a college scholarship because my teachers taught me not only _how_ to work – but _made _me, not just for grades, but … well, everything. Thank you." He stepped back.

Next was a slight Asian girl. "My name is Michelle Soong. I'm intelligent and I know a lot; I also love to study," she said matter-of-factly, without arrogance. "I learned that not everything in life can be found in a book – and that I have no right to look down on others who may not have my intellect or share my passion for learning. Instead, I discovered that sharing my knowledge with others is a very rewarding experience. It made me a better person. Thank you."

Several other students followed suit, then Sean came forward once more. "Good job, guys. Now we're coming to the second and last new tradition, which needs a little explanation. For that, we need to hear from one more person. Gül?"

A slender girl, her dark hair caught at the back of her head in a shimmering net, walked lightly up the steps, laughing excitedly as the assembled students broke into a rhythmic chant of "Rosie, Rosie!" As soon as everybody quieted down, she started to speak in a soft, clear voice.

"This will be somewhat longer than my friends' comments; I apologize. But I have to give a little background first, so please bear with me?" She had a faint, not unpleasant accent, Tommy noted. "My name is Gül Erdem, and my father is a bio-engineer at Mercer Industries. My family came from Turkey to America three years ago, so I wasn't part of this class from the beginning. It was hard to fit into a group of people most of which seemed to have known each other from childhood. I dressed differently, I didn't speak English very well, I didn't date, didn't know pop culture … that, and a lot of other things, made me very lonely. I _wanted _to feel accepted, to make friends, but while my family are by no means fundamentalist Muslim, we still take our faith and our traditions seriously. That set me even more apart. Also, my parents were concerned about the influence American teenagers might have on me; they feared that full, unquestioned assimilation of their customs might lead me away from what we believe is right and proper.

"I agreed with them in principle, but that didn't stop me from being desperately unhappy. Nobody seemed to notice, or know what to do about it. But I was wrong – one person _did _notice. One teacher, out of the wonderful staff at Brookhill High, saw my misery and took action. First, I was gently made to tell the problem. Then, that teacher invited my parents and myself to meet with some of my classmates, outside of school, and let us see that with a little bit of willingness to observe and listen on both sides, compromise _was_ possible. My parents learned that they could trust others; that adapting at least somewhat to American customs need not mean that we betrayed everything we believe in. In short, we discovered good, not evil. Classmates and neighbors eventually became friends; we learned to accept and _respect_ our respective cultures and values … and that being different doesn't mean being worse. If it hadn't been for that one teacher's sensitivity and effort, I wouldn't have the friends I've made; my life would be much poorer, and I wouldn't be looking at a wonderful future." She drew a deep breath. "I could go on for another half hour, but I won't, so all I have left to say, for myself _and _my family, is thank you."

The valedictorian took the mike once more. "Thanks, Rosie. Your experience was a lesson we all needed to learn. That is why we, the class of 2013, have decided to honor one teacher among the staff of Brookhill High who has, in our collective opinion, not only taught us a lot in class, but about life and being plain good people; who has done the most to make our years at school memorable. We took a secret poll, and one name came up more than any other. With the permission of Mr. Massini, we would like to present an award to one special teacher who not only gave us four years of exceptional guidance and taught us a lot in class and about life, but also was a great all-around role model. We hope that those who'll follow us will keep this tradition."

As the audience murmured excitedly among themselves, another student handed a wood-mounted brass plaque to Sean and Gül. Together, they faced the assembled teaching staff.

"To the staff of Brookhill High, we'd like to say that _all_ of you have been great. Thank you for making high school interesting and fun, something we enjoyed, not just endured. But there is one person who, in our opinion, inspired us the most, both in and out of school." Sean lifted the plaque. "The 2013 Most Inspirational Teacher Award goes to … Coach Scott!"

An obviously surprised and flattered Jason received a round of thunderous applause when the two students beckoned him forward and handed him his award. Tommy beamed with pride for him. Even from a distance he could see his partner's blush as the class started yelling, trampling and cheering.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!"

Jason tried to refuse, but as the chanting wouldn't stop gave in at last and took the microphone. "Shut up, you lot," he said firmly, just loud enough to convey his authority, and was almost instantly obeyed. "You guys just _had _to go and embarrass the heck out of me, didn't you?" Laughter branded up briefly before he could continue more quietly. "I don't really deserve this; there's a whole bunch of folks on staff here who've done as much, or even more than myself to be honored like this. The only advantage I've had over them is that I actually got to cuss you out on the field, or in gym class when you weren't doing your best. I bet half of my colleagues would've thoroughly enjoyed being able to do just that more than once." He grinned at the scattered applause and laughter from the staff seats. "Seems I'm right about that! Most of the time, it even worked; you guys did me proud! I just hope that _hasn't _taught you that whoever yells loudest, wins. Anyway, I'm highly flattered; it's the last thing I expected. I'm glad to see that you guys can appreciate what my colleagues – who in my opinion are equally deserving of this honor – and I have been trying to teach you. Guess we succeeded, as the idea behind this award shows. On behalf of myself and _all _of Brookhill High's staff, thank you." He sat down again, and the last part of the ceremony, the handing out of diplomas, went underway.

---

Students, their families and staff were mingling around the campus front lawn when Jason finally managed to extricate himself from a conversation with two PTA members and went up to the teachers' lounge to pick up some materials he'd left in his locker. Tommy was waiting for him in the hallway, ready to leave, when Anton Mercer showed up. He stopped to say hello, then smiled as Jason joined them soon after, a couple of books and folders tucked under one arm. Mercer nodded towards the brass plaque on top.

"That's quite an honor the kids did you."

"I know," Jason replied. "Dunno what I did to deserve it, but I'm tickled pink."

"You should be. That girl – what's her name again? The one who spoke last?"

"Gül. It's Turkish for 'rose'; the kids had problems pronouncing it correctly, she was sick of hearing her name come out as 'ghoul', so using the English equivalent seemed the way to go. From what I hear, even her parents sometimes call her Rosie now," Jason grinned.

"That's the one," Mercer said. "Her father praised you to high heaven the last time I spoke with him. Said that if it hadn't been for your sensitive intervention, he and his family would never have been able to integrate themselves as fast and as easily as they did. Good job."

Jason blushed. "Thanks, but I didn't do all _that _much. I just got the family and some of the kids together at home and let them clear up some misconceptions, explain cultural differences and so on. Trust was built, and everything fell into place eventually."

"Still, not everybody would have seen the problem, much less done something about it. The school board is very pleased with the way you handled the situation. This award just confirms it." Mercer looked at his watch. "Speaking of the board, we're having a meeting in ten minutes before we, too, can take off for the summer. Keep up the good work; we're looking forward to next year. Thomas, Jason – enjoy your vacation."

"You, too, Anton," Tommy replied for both of them, but his boss/friend was already striding quickly down the corridor. He shrugged, then looked at his lover with a warm smile. "Always in a hurry. Come on, Mr. Most Inspirational – let's go home!"

"Don't you start as well," Jason groaned comically, but followed Tommy without further ado down the empty hallway, their steps echoing off the walls. "That reporter was bad enough; wonder who invited _her_ in? Good thing summer break is starting; I like the kids, but after the last hectic few weeks and today, I'm more than ready for some quality time for just the two of us!"

"Uh huh," Tommy nodded. "At least we'll have this weekend; as of Monday, it'll be us and a bunch of construction workers."

"I know. Guess we'll have to make the most of tomorrow and Sunday," Jason leered, and Tommy felt a familiar flock of kamikaze butterflies starting to dance wildly in the pit of his stomach. He knew the heated look Jason was giving him; it never failed to send his heartbeat skyrocketing.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said, squinting in the bright sunlight as they left the school building and wove their way through the gradually-thinning crowd towards the parking lot. "Thank God Liz Randall didn't rope me in as chaperone for the Reefside graduation dance this year!"

"Mmm. Although, I like seeing you all dressed up," Jason murmured. "You always look good enough to eat." He let his tongue tip flicker suggestively across his lips for a second, then the dark eyes dropped towards Tommy's crotch and lingered on the barely-perceptible bulge under the beige pants.

With an effort, Tommy controlled his body's instantaneous reaction. What he _did_ do, though, was rake his own eyes up and down the muscular body at his side. "Isn't that supposed to be easier when I'm wearing nothing, though?" he muttered as he unlocked the car. Jason looked back at him across the roof, his expression innocent.

"Why can't I have you both ways? In and out of a suit?" he said nonchalantly, laughed at Tommy's involuntary gasp and got into the vehicle.

"Is that a threat?" his partner asked, cursing mentally at the discomfort his burgeoning erection was causing him as he buckled up and his pants tightened across his lap.

"More like a promise. So get us home already," Jason ordered softly. "I'm getting _very _hungry for some hot meat."

Hearing the suggestive command made Tommy shudder as his mind started to fill with sensual images of Jason's mouth on him, of a fleshy pole thrusting deeply into tight, moist heat … and right now, he didn't much care who or which orifice would be the recipient of said thrusts. The pleasure they gave each other either way was different, but equally great, so what did it matter who was on top? Feeling his gut clench and his mouth fill with saliva, he did his best not to gun the engine, disregard safety and traffic rules and _race_ back to Valencia Road.

---

Tommy was having the most awesome dream.

He was floating on something warm and soft, wrapped in gentle bands that held him securely without making him feel trapped. Flickering flames skittered across his skin, but the heat didn't burn; instead, they ignited a responding fire within his veins that let him soar towards a distant sun that beckoned with a brilliant glow. He knew that if he chose to let himself be carried along, he would drown in the fire and afterwards be reborn like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

A pulsating shaft forged of pure heat pierced through him. It hurt a little, but nonetheless he yielded gladly, knowing that soon the discomfort would transmute into joy. The living steel wrapped around his body made him feel safe and Tommy started to sway on the wave of pleasure carrying him. Without hesitation, he opened himself fully, letting his body as well as his heart be consumed by the hypnotic rhythm.

Soon, he was thrust towards the center of the flame with ever-increasing speed. A hot, moist wind blew across his neck, gaining in intensity as the brightness of the sun he'd seen earlier enveloped Tommy, blinding him until nothing but sensation remained. With one last, forceful push the fire became a conflagration. Then a gush of liquid swept in its wake through Tommy's innards, cooling the flames until they turned in on themselves and became a ball of embers that glowed deep within his very being, waiting only for a spark to ignite and start the whole cycle all over again.

Slowly, Tommy opened his eyes, unsure whether he was still dreaming. As he gradually grew aware of his surroundings, he realized that he wasn't drifting on a cloud, but lying on his bed, in his bedroom … and that Jason was holding him from behind, still joined, recovering from an intense climax.

"Ohh," Tommy moaned, a little disappointed that it hadn't been real. A part of him was jealous that he hadn't gotten to share the pleasure Jason had taken without him being fully aware, but another thrilled in the knowledge that the love and trust between them was strong enough to let either fill their need even without formal consent.

Besides, he always enjoyed when Jason made love to him while he still slept.

"Good morning." There was a definite smile in the deep voice as Jason nuzzled behind his ear. Tommy had to chuckle.

"A better morning for you than for me, looks like," he mock-grumbled sleepily.

"Don't worry, I'll make yours just as good," Jason promised, sliding one hand down his lover's chest. Tommy was already hard. "Just let me stay where I am for a minute; I love being within you afterwards. It's so nice and tight and hot … sometimes I feel as if I could stay inside of you forever," he murmured, punctuating his words with a series of openmouthed kisses and licks down Tommy's neck.

"Ditto." Tommy shivered sensually as Jason's fingers danced up and down, gently stoking the embers in his gut into a small blaze. All too soon, Jason had to withdraw, which he did with a small sigh. Wordlessly, Tommy handed him a hand towel from the stack they kept on the nightstand and rolled onto his back, watching idly as Jason cleaned himself. His body smarted a little as he moved; Jason hadn't been able to use much lube holding him from behind, but the discomfort was minimal. _-Sometimes, a little rough lovin' is just what the doctor ordered. Well, __this__ doctor anyway!- _Tommy grinned to himself at the whimsical thought. After eight years as lovers, both could handle occasional spontaneity without damage. _-Preparation can be half the fun, but as long as we're careful, I don't mind doing without once in a while.-_

Throwing the terry-cloth square to the ground at last, Jason then leaned up on one elbow and bent over his lover for a deep kiss.

"How do you want it?" he asked huskily. "My mouth, or …?" He was already coaxing Tommy to full hardness, and Tommy smiled languidly as he spread his legs further apart.

"Any way I don't have to move, if that's okay with you," he requested. "I'm feeling kinda lazy today."

He got a slow, wolfish smile in return. "Works for me." Jason stretched and opened his nightstand drawer, taking out a bottle of lubricant. he arched his chest upwards to the hot mouth and groaned with delight when Jason obligingly started to lick and nibble.

"Aw, maaaan!"

His lover laughed softly. "You like that, huh?"

"You know I do," Tommy murmured. Shivering with anticipation, Tommy drew Jason between his thighs. "Make me come, Jase," he said, half commanding, half begging. "I don't care which way. Just – soon."

"No problem," Jason promised and fitted himself on top of his partner. It would be a while before he'd be ready for an encore, but that only meant that he could concentrate fully on giving Tommy as much pleasure as possible without getting sidetracked by his own needs. But that didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy the feel of that lean, hard body against his own skin while he kissed Tommy senseless, did it? Jason proceeded to do just that. Within minutes, Tommy was straining against him, all but clawing at his back. Smiling, he abandoned the panting mouth and licked his way across the heaving chest, pausing only at the swollen nipples before he scooted lower towards his prize.

Tommy groaned when Jason got down to some serious loveplay. He instinctively bucked his hips as his lover started to suck softly, moving up and down in a familiar rhythm. The large hands weren't idle either. Jason kept Tommy simmering on the edge of orgasm for a good while and Tommy reveled in it, all feeling concentrated in his lower body where the skilled tongue was doing incredible things. All too soon, it became too much; with a sharp cry, Tommy fell over the edge into sensory bliss. Only when it was all over and Tommy slumped bonelessly onto the mattress, gasping for air, did Jason release him and with a parting kiss scooted upwards once more to share the taste of his own climax with his lover.

"Mmm," Tommy sighed when the kiss ended, once more wrapped securely in the strong arms. "Man, I love it when you're deep-throating me."

"Took me long enough to get the hang of it, but it was worth it," Jason smiled, running one hand languidly down Tommy's back. He stopped just short of the rounded buttocks, and Tommy twisted a little, wanting to feel its warmth on his backside. He sighed happily when Jason willingly obliged.

Tommy slid his hand around Jason's neck and drew him into a heated kiss. When they were done, he grinned slightly. "Now what?"

"Now … I suppose we should get up," Jason sighed regretfully. "I'd love spending more time in bed with you and fool around some more, but if we don't get a move on, we won't be ready for the construction crew on Monday."

"Uh, yeah." The plan was to break through the outer wall of what was now Jason's office to connect the extension to the house; they had already packed most of Jason's books into crates, but these needed to be stashed somewhere safe, the desk had to be moved back into the den … and the shed behind the house had to be cleared and dismantled. Not a problem for two fit guys in the prime of life, but still tedious and quite probably tiring work for the next couple of days. "Guess we have to."

"We'll make up for it once the extension is done and we can start, uh, christening all that extra space," Jason said with a small leer.

"Sounds like fun. So who gets to shower first?"

"Depends on whether you want a cooked or a plain breakfast."

"Let's go for plain; we can eat out tonight, or order in. I doubt either of us will be in the mood to cook much this weekend."

"Right. Then I'll go first." Jason kissed Tommy once more, then bounded out of bed. "Enjoy your extra five minutes."

With a nod and a smile, Tommy watched him disappear into the hallway towards the bathroom. As usual, he admired the flex of muscles on Jason's back and ass, then lay back against his pillow and concentrated on his body. He was still a little sore from the unplanned wake-up sex, but it was nothing he couldn't live with for a day. In fact, he rather guiltily admitted to himself that liked this 'reminder'.

Tommy heard the shower switch off and soon after the sound of the bathroom door falling into the lock. Jason called to him that he was going downstairs to start the coffee, and reluctantly Tommy sat up and got out of bed, noticing much to his surprise that despite his recent orgasm he was already half-erect again.

_-Wow.-_

Tommy quickly went through his morning hygiene. But when he went back into the bedroom, he hesitated as he saw the bottle of lube in the still-open bedside drawer. Jason hadn't said it in so many words, but Tommy couldn't help feeling that he'd get a kick out of knowing he was prepared to go at it again at a moment's notice. _-It'd pretty much keep me half hard all day, too …- _Almost without volition, Tommy reached for the lube. It was a mad idea, but it'd be worth it. The only question was, how could he let Jason know without telling him outright?

Some kind of tight, revealing underwear would probably do, but Tommy generally preferred boxers; he didn't even own spandex swim shorts. _-Where's a G-string when you need it?- _He snorted; as if he _or _Jason would wear such a thing! They lookedveryuncomfortable even on catalogue mannequins! Suddenly, a solution occurred to him. When they'd emptied the mostly-unused closet in the spare room Jason had turned into his office, he'd come across an old pair of white bike shorts he used to wear under his _gi_ at karate tournaments. Tommy certainly was no longer seventeen; his clothing size had changed since then, if not by much. If he could find the bag destined for the charity shop he'd chucked them into …

A few minutes later, he was back in the bedroom, spandex shorts in hand. Before he could have second thoughts, Tommy stroked himself until he was semi-erect. It was a struggle to pull up the shorts – they _were _a couple of sizes too small by now, and his distended anatomy didn't help – but once he got them on, he knew his instinct had been right. The material outlined his genitals in almost-indecent detail. And when he twisted to look over his shoulder at his backside, the mirror clearly showed the crease between his cheeks.

_-Worse even than my old white uniform!- _Kimberly had often commented on how she'd been distracted because every movement showed off his muscles and more; she'd even admitted that sometimes checking out her boyfriend had seemed far more engrossing than defeating Zedd's latest monster. A slow smile formed around Tommy's lips at the memory; he'd done his own fair share of ogling the girls back then, and so had Jason. At the time, being encased in a full body suit, heavy shield and helmet had helped more than once to conceal his teenaged reaction. Briefly, he wondered if the similarly-constructed Gold Ranger suit had worked in the same way for his best friend after his return; Zeo Red's uniform had only been slightly less revealing than his Ninja Whites, after all. _-Given that Jase, by his own admission, was falling for me at the time, probably.- _ So … Tommy's smile widened. If he wore a certain tank top with the shorts today, Jason was sure to get an eyeful – and if he knew his lover at all, it was going to drive him wild!

---

Jason looked up from the morning paper when Tommy finally entered the kitchen. He gestured towards the countertop. "Coffee's ready," he said, "and I've put some bread next to the toas- … holy shit!" He did a classic double-take and nearly fell off his chair as his brain registered what Tommy was, or rather _wasn't_, wearing. And when Tommy walked past him with an enigmatic grin and he got a good look at his backside, Jason nearly choked on his coffee. He also grew instantly hard.

"A-are you planning on working in the yard dressed like this?" he asked hoarsely, torn between enjoying the view and jumping Tommy's bones here and now.

"Yes, why?" Tommy said innocently. "It's gonna be a hot day, I was going to trash the shorts anyway – why soil a perfectly good pair when I don't have to?"

The thought of looking at a as-good-as-naked Tommy all day and knowing that he'd chosen to reinsert the sex toy made Jason's mouth water. It was a pity that they really _had _to get started on their clear-out, or he'd drag him back to bed immediately. _-Better yet, pin him against the kitchen counter, lift his legs over my shoulders and make love to him right away!-_ But that was clearly not what Tommy wanted; there was a definite purpose to his behavior. _-Like driving me out of my skull with wanting him. He's succeeding, too!- _

Things didn't get better when Tommy carried his breakfast to the table opposite of his lover. He couldn't quite hide his gasp as he sat down, telling an avidly-watching Jason that the fabric wasn't quite as stretchy as Tommy had anticipated. And yet Tommy managed to eat his toast with apparent unconcern. Forcing himself to finish his own breakfast, Jason controlled his raging libido with difficulty. How _was _he going to survive the day? If there only was a way to retaliate … _-Hmm. Maybe there is!- _Jason decided spontaneously that two could play that game.

"You know, you're right," he said as lightly as he could. "Maybe I'd better change; too. Enjoy your breakfast – I'll see you outside, okay?"

"Sure." Tommy grinned to himself. If he'd had any doubt about his choice of attire, the glimpse of Jason's distended shorts as he hastily left the kitchen was enough to dispel them. They were going to have fun today!

---

Back in bed that night, Jason lay on his side, head propped on one hand as he watched Tommy stuff his clothes into the hamper. If he got any say in the matter, they'd keep the bike shorts as long as Tommy managed to squeeze into them! A lazy smile curved his mouth as he thought back on the day. He'd managed to keep his hands off his lover almost until lunchtime, but when the garden hose slipped off the outside tap, sprayed them both from head to toe with icy water and rendered those white shorts nearly transparent, he'd lost it. Briefly thanking the Powers That Be for the fact that their nearest neighbor lived a couple of miles down the road and wasn't likely to drop in unannounced, he'd yanked Tommy into his arms, wrestled him to the ground and swarmed all over him on the thick grass they'd been about to water. Tommy had cooperated enthusiastically, accepting the hard, fast interlude with relish. After Jason came to a shuddering climax, Tommy had barely let him catch his breath before bucking him off and initiating his own frenzied assault on the half-naked body.

"Think we'll have as much fun again this summer?" Jason asked idly as Tommy closed the bedside drawer on the nearly empty bottle of lube. His own butt still smarted from their romp in the yard and the thorough loving Tommy had given him in the shower after they were done, but even the bruises on his hips, collected from some stray pebbles hidden in the grass, were worth the sheer sensuality throughout their day.

"Possibly," Tommy smiled.

"Maybe we should equip the future guest room in the attic as some kind of, um, 'playroom'," Jason suggested next, lifting one eyebrow meaningfully.

"Now there's an idea." The chocolate-brown eyes gleamed. "We'd just have to make sure we lock away anything incriminating for when we have visitors."

He reached sideways to trace the sculpted pecs with one finger, reminiscing fondly on how his teasing had backfired on him that morning. Jason had joined him in the yard after breakfast wearing nothing but tight, ratty cutoffs. They had rips in the back, half the fly buttons were missing, and a single glance at the resultant gaps in the fabric had sufficed to show him that Jason was going commando underneath. As if that hadn't been enough, he'd proceeded to do the most strenuous work by himself, covering his chest and back with a light sheen of sweat that made every muscle glisten in the sun and stand out in sharp relief. Furthermore, Jason had used the cologne Tommy liked so much, and every time he caught a whiff of the musky scent Tommy's anatomy had twitched in its confines.

"Yeah, I guess," Jason chuckled. "Wouldn't do to give the gang or your parents any ideas of what we're up to in bed – although Eric and Wes might find it, um, inspirational."

"Oh really? Do you know something I don't?"

"Nah. Just speculating."

"You may be right at that," Tommy conceded, laughing as well. He let his hand wander upwards into the short black hair and drew Jason into a languid kiss. "Want to go for one more round?" he whispered against the moist lips.

"Want, yes. Can, no," Jason murmured back with a rueful grin. "I hate to admit it, but I'm no longer a teenager. Three times a day is just about my limit. Although, I'm game if you want to try and persuade me," he smiled when the saw disappointment flash briefly across Tommy's face. To his secret relief, Tommy shook his head.

"Wish I could. But I'm afraid by fooling around so much we've lost time we should have used otherwise," he sighed comically. "Not that it wasn't great fun, but we sure could've picked a better time. And what with the construction work, we probably won't get another chance to be so uninhibited all summer."

"Uh huh. More's the pity."

"We'll have other opportunities."

"Oh yeah. Maybe we can get a cabin in that ski resort again? Not over Christmas or New Year's, but sometime in between, at least for a couple of nights. I've always wanted to make love in the snow," Jason mused with a sly sideways glance.

Tommy snorted. "Skiing sounds good, but sex in semi-frozen water? Only if I get to be on top!"

"I'm sure that could be arranged," Jason leered, then ruined the effect by a sudden yawn. "Man. I'm so bushed!"

Tommy pushed Jason onto his back and rolled halfway on top of him. He slid an arm around the narrow waist, kissed his throat and laid his head onto a broad shoulder. "Then go to sleep already," he said matter-of-factly and closed his eyes. "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

Laughing softly, Jason shifted until they were both comfortable, tucked one leg between his lover's thighs and reached for the headboard light. One flick of a finger was enough to shroud the room in darkness. "Good night, Bro."

"Night. Love ya."

"Ditto." Minutes later, they both were asleep.

---

Sunday brought more work. This time Jason and Tommy refrained from taking unscheduled time-outs. They shared quick kisses and teasing gropes as they went about their tasks, slow and unhurried ones when they paused for a break, but had agreed that anything more would be left until the night when they were done. Accordingly, they made good progress, wolfing down sandwiches at mid-day and only slowed down when night had already fallen.

With a sigh, Jason dumped the last crate of books into a corner of the underground lair. "That's it," he groaned. "When I think we'll have to lug all that stuff back upstairs again in a few weeks …"

"Maybe we can rope Conner into helping," Tommy stretched and rubbed his aching back. "I think he mentioned coming home in early September. Family birthday, or something."

"Sounds like a plan. Dinner?"

"Hell, yeah. I could eat a horse," Tommy sighed. "Lunch was a long time ago."

"Horse I can't do, but what do you say we call for Chinese? I'm too tired to cook, and want definitely more than just soup and more sandwiches."

"Perfect. Four dishes, rice, and we share?"

"Add a couple of spring rolls for me. We burned enough calories today to afford them."

"Okay. I'll call and you can shower first; just make sure to leave me enough hot water."

"Will do." Whistling, Jason bounded upstairs while Tommy gave the Lair a final once-over, making sure his equipment was safe, before he followed.

They were both clean and comfortable by the time the food arrived, and had just sat down in the living room, the mouthwatering scent of sweet 'n' sour pork, Moo Goo Gai Pan, chicken with cashews and Chop Suey filling the air, when the phone rang.

"Figures," Tommy grumbled and reached for the receiver. "Hello? Oh, hi Mom," he said more pleasantly. "I didn't think you'd be back already – weren't you and Dad supposed to stay in Phoenix until Tuesday?" They continued to chat and Tommy motioned to Jason to start eating, which he did with a smug grin. Idly listening in on his lover's half of the conversation, he only looked up from his food when his name was mentioned. "Yeah, Jason's here. We were just about to have dinner."

Mrs. Oliver said something else, and Tommy got up. "Sure. Hang on a sec, I'll put you on speaker." Going to his desk, Tommy flicked a switch and placed the mobile unit into the charger. "Go ahead, Mom; Jase can hear you now."

_"Hello, Jason."_

"Good evening, Rachel," Jason replied after hastily swallowing his mouthful of rice. Tommy grinned as he sat down, picked up his own chopsticks and began to eat hungrily. "How was your trip?"

_"Fine, thank you. But more about that later – Jason, do you remember a Karen Lawrence?"_

Puzzled, Jason thought briefly, then snapped his fingers as his memory reconnected the name with a face. "Yeah, didn't she used to live across the street from my parents?"

Rachel Oliver sighed. _"She still does. She's also in my yoga class; when Jeffrey and I stopped at the store on our way home to get groceries, we happened to stand in line next to each other at the checkout. Karen knows that you and Tommy are friends; long story short, she gave me some information that Jeff and I feel you should know."_ There was a pause, then Rachel continued without preamble. _"Jason … there's no easy way to tell you, so forgive me for being blunt. Your mother is in the hospital."_

Alarmed, Jason stood and walked closer to the phone's speaker. "What? Since when? Why?"

The connection crackled, but it couldn't blot out Rachel's second, heavier sigh. _"I know less than half of it, obviously, but it seems your mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier this year; she's already had an operation where they successfully removed an orange-sized tumor. They've started her on radiation and chemotherapy now, but … she's not doing very well, I'm afraid,"_ Rachel added in a subdued voice. _"Dear boy, I'm so sorry."_

Jason went sheet-white and swayed with shock. He barely heard Tommy's dismayed exclamation as he dropped his chopsticks and jumped up to stand behind him. "No," he muttered numbly. "That's impossible …"

_"Unfortunately not,"_ Rachel murmured. _"I wish I could've given you better news."_

"Where … where is she?"

_"Angel Grove Memorial, the oncology ward. I have the number if you want to call …"_

Jason didn't answer, just turned and walked towards the window, his back to the room. Quickly, Tommy crossed to his desk, switched the speaker off, lifted the receiver and spoke quietly to his mother. "It's okay, Mom, we can look it up. Thanks for telling us."

_"You're welcome."_ Rachel hesitated, then asked, _"How's Jason taking it?" _

"How do you think?" Tommy replied sarcastically, worriedly watching his partner out of the corner of his eye. Jason wasn't moving, but he'd clenched both hands into fists and was staring into the darkness outside. His reflection in the window pane showed that his expression was stony, but someone who knew him as well as Tommy could see that he was biting his lips to control their tremor. "He's in shock. Who wouldn't be?"

_"Sorry, dumb question."_

"Yeah, well … better it came from someone we know than a stranger."

_"I suppose. Well, that's why I called. We can talk more another time. – You look after him now, you hear?"_

"Of course. I'll call you back, okay?" He didn't wait for an answer, just killed the connection and returned to Jason's side, putting a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "I'm sorry, Bro," he whispered quietly. He could feel the stocky frame tremble. _-I don't even wanna __begin__ to guess what you're going through right now!-_ Although in some corner of his mind Tommy did know; he only needed to imagine such a bombshell had been dropped on _him_. If it were _his _mother or father … he fought off a sudden chill, then banished the thought. Now was not the time for what-ifs. All Tommy could do was offer his support. To that end, he changed his light touch into a gentle embrace, drawing Jason against his chest. "I'm here if you need me, Bro."

For a few seconds, Jason remained as he was, then turned suddenly with a strangled moan and clung to his lover. "Oh God, Tommy …"

"I know, love. Just hold on to me."

"Mom … I can't lose her. I can't!" The deep voice was muffled by Tommy's shirt. Tommy started drawing soothing circles on the broad back.

"We don't know yet that you will," he murmured comfortingly, wishing that he could put more conviction into his voice. "You know your mom; she never gives up easily."

Jason shuddered, then looked up with haunted eyes and let his arms fall to his side. "I've got to go see her," he murmured roughly. _-It could be the last time ever … no. Please, God, NO!-_

"Of course," Tommy nodded, having expected nothing else. Jason's parents might have rejected him four years ago, but Jason wouldn't be the man he was and whom Tommy loved if he was giving up on _them_.

Running a hand distractedly across his chin, Jason looked around the room. "My keys," he whispered. "Where did I put my keys?"

"Most likely on the hallway table, as usual," Tommy replied, made an instinctive, lightning-quick decision and restrained his partner gently yet firmly from leaving. "And that's where they're gonna stay for now."

"What? No – let me go, Tommy!" Jason protested, his dark eyes flashing with anger as he tried to shrug off the strong grip holding him in place. "I _have _to go see my mother!"

"Yes, you do – but not tonight," Tommy replied in a voice that dared Jason to defy him. Before Jason could argue anyway, he cupped his face with both hands and waited until he would look at him. "Jase, listen to me," Tommy said reasonably. "It's almost ten, and it's a three-hour drive to Angel Grove at best. Even if you left right now, you wouldn't make it there until well past midnight. Do you really think the hospital is gonna let you come in that late?"

_-So what? I don't care!- _Mutinously, Jason tried to avert his face. "But …"

"No buts." Tommy drew a deep breath and shook him a little. "Bro, I'll see you off at dawn if that's what you want, but you _can't _leave now. I understand you're desperate to go – I'd be the same in your shoes – but please, take a little time to calm down first." He lowered his voice to a soft whisper. "I don't want to get another phone call tonight telling me it's _you _in a hospital because you had an accident."

The rational part of Jason's mind recovered at that moment and decided to kick in again. _-Would __you__ let __Tommy__ go?- _The answer came right away._ -No, dammit.- _Tommy was right – he wouldn't be able to see his mother or a doctor, and he _was _in no condition to drive. That didn't mean he liked admitting it, or waiting any more than he absolutely had to. With a half-sob, Jason closed his eyes and slumped back into Tommy's arms, his temper subsiding as quickly as it had flared. "Can't you come with me?" he asked, not caring that for once he sounded like a little boy lost. "I … I don't know if I can face this alone," he sighed, finally confessing a deep-seated fear. _-It's my Mom!- _

Tommy groaned and tightened his embrace. "God, Jase, I wish Icould!" _-Sometimes, life __really__ sucks,-_ Tommy thought, feeling even more helpless. _-If it weren't for that contract we signed …- _While the building work could be postponed if necessary, they simply couldn't afford to lose the money breaking that contract would cost. He hated to remind Jason, though. They'd been looking forward to this so much for the past months, yet now it seemed utterly trivial.

"You know the construction crew is coming tomorrow," Tommy started to explain reluctantly. Much to his relief, Jason stopped him with a wry look and shake of his head. He, too, knew how to face unpleasant reality.

"I know. One of us _has _to be here."

"Yeah. And under the circumstances, it's got to be me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jason mumbled despondently, only to be interrupted by Tommy.

"No, it's not. You _shouldn't _have to go back alone, and I absolutely _hate _that I have to let you. But unfortunately it can't be changed. That's why I'm asking you to wait until you've had at least a little time to get your head together after this shock. Can you do that for me? Please?"

"I … yes," Jason muttered reluctantly at last. "I hate that you're right …"

"I know." Placing a gentle kiss on the furrowed forehead, Tommy guided him back to the table. The remnants of their dinner still cluttered the top, but neither man felt hungry anymore. "Go pack a bag for a few days and while you do that I'll see whether I can book a room for you somewhere. Or do you want to stay at my folks' house?"

Mutely, Jason shook his head. He couldn't bear the thought of accepting sympathy – or worse, pity. It was one thing if it came from Tommy, but anybody else? No. "A motel will do," he mumbled.

"Right. Now go pack."

With slow, dragging steps, Jason obeyed and trudged listlessly from the room. Hoping that the activity would help restore Jason's equilibrium at least a little, Tommy quickly went online and checked accommodations near the hospital. He soon found something suitable and had made a reservation by the time Jason came back downstairs and put a small suitcase next to the front door. His color was a little better, and some of his earlier anguish had left the dark eyes. Tommy smiled at him reassuringly. "All done?"

"Yeah …"

"Me, too. Then let's go to bed; I'll clear up tomorrow."

"I don't think I _can_ sleep," Jason murmured, only to be gently herded back out of the den regardless.

"Maybe not, but you canat least get some rest lying down – better anyway than if you stayed up all night, getting all stiff and worrying yourself sick." He met the stubborn look with a small grin and shrug. "Besides, how am I supposed to hold you properly otherwise?"

That offer was too tempting to refuse – Jason wanted, no, _needed _to be held. He gave in with a wan smile. "Okay."

Together, they went upstairs and lay down. True to his promise, Tommy kept his arms around Jason all night, listening to his occasional ramblings, comforting him with soft words and gentle back rubs. He even managed to coax his lover into an hour or two of uneasy sleep while he kept vigil. When dawn came at last, though, nothing could hold Jason back. Tommy let him go with a thermos of strong coffee, a simple reminder to drive safely and call home as soon as he arrived, and a heavy heart.

Life had been so good lately, had looked even better just a day ago – until Fate decided to interfere again. _-Why does Jase have to be the one to suffer again? Hasn't he had enough heartache over his family already?- _Tommy had no answer. All he could do was hope and pray that things would end well – and that he wouldn't lose the man he loved. A voice from his past rose in his mind, and unconsciously he spoke the words their ancient mentor had used so often when sending them into battle.

_-It __is__ another battle we're facing – only, this time the enemy is not some weird, ridiculous monster, but pain, disease … maybe death itself. And this time, there's no guarantee we can win.-_

"May the Power protect you, Bro. As well as your mother … and us."

_To Be Continued …_

21


	18. Homecoming 2

_**Disclaimer: **__Not my sandbox, but the toys I'm borrowing are AWESOME!_

_**Note: **__In response to the Live Journal PRSW22 challenge, themes #09, hallways and #15, peace_

_**Note II: **__-groans- Another three-parter. Completely unplanned, but … I'd have to cut it up for posting anyway, so here you go. Sorry about the delay, but I was on vacation with no net access for over two weeks. -sigh- _

_**Note III:**__ Any medical mistakes are wholly mine; I've had to rely a good deal on online research – thanks, wikipedia! (And thank you, Julia, for bringing a detail to my attention that perhaps __needed__ to be put into the story; hope I met your expectation!) Anyway, enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 18: Homecoming, Pt.2**

Early-morning traffic in downtown Angel Grove was as bad as Jason remembered as he navigated his car towards the hospital. He was approaching the turnoff when he had to stop at a traffic light and cast a cursory glance into the rearview mirror. He was mildly surprised by how scruffy and haggard he looked. Although, he shouldn't be; after all, he'd barely taken the time to shower and throw on fresh clothes before he left.

_-I can't let Mom see me like this …-_

Every instinct screamed at him to hurry, to go to his mother, but the need to concentrate on the road during the long drive, as much as Tommy's soothing, rational voice in his mind when he wished him a safe trip, had served to calm him down enough that Jason was able to drive by his hotel first. He couldn't do much about the dark circles under his eyes nor his anxious pallor, but there _was _time for freshening up and a perfunctory shave. Barely fifteen minutes after checking in Jason had called Tommy, gotten back in his car and was on the way to the hospital, a large coffee from a drive-by fast food place next to him. He didn't feel like eating, but at least the caffeine served to clear his mind as he sipped the hot beverage. Arriving at Angel Grove Memorial at last, he parked his car and strode towards the main entrance. The receptionist directed him to the oncology ward, and once there he waited with barely-concealed impatience until someone at the nurses' station found time to answer his questions.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'd like to see Mrs. Scott," he murmured. "She's a patient here."

The nurse on duty gave him a searching look. "I'm sorry, but visits to critical-care patients are for family only. It's hospital policy."

Jason blanched at the word 'critical'. "I'm her son," he said tightly, garnering a raised eyebrow.

"Can you prove that? I'd need more than just your driver's license."

Jason bit back a sharp reply, then reached for his wallet, sending a silent 'thank-you' back to Tommy in Reefside for suggesting he bring his birth certificate. He showed the document to the nurse. "Yeah, here."

She checked the data, then nodded, making a notation on a chart. "Very well. Room 341. Follow me, please; I'll take you."

"Thanks."

Just outside the room, Jason stopped the nurse. "How … how is she?" he asked hoarsely.

Compassionate blue eyes met haunted dark ones. "Hanging on. You'd better ask her doctor once his shift starts in an hour, but … don't be shocked when you see her. She's having a pretty extreme reaction to the chemo, unusually so, and what with the side effects … it's not pretty. I'm sorry."

"I don't care what she looks like. I just want to see her."

"Right. Just thought I'd warn you." The nurse started to open the door, then paused. "Oh, one more thing. She's drifting in and out of consciousness most of the time and her memory is a little addled; it's one of the side effects of the meds, and most likely temporary, so don't let it faze you, okay?"

"I'll try." _-Oh God. Will Mom even recognize me?-_

"Uh huh. Come on then. Dr. Gonzales will come round later." Entering the room, the nurse adopted a professionally-cheerful tone. "Good morning, Helen. I've brought you a visitor."

An unintelligible moan came from the bed, and Jason felt his stomach churn. He was able to see his mother over the nurse's shoulder, and he was glad that he had a wall to momentarily lean against – surely that pale, weak person in her vomit-stained hospital gown couldn't be the vital, lively woman he remembered? He had to swallow hard several times and barely heard the nurse's request to step into the hallway again for a minute. Numbly, he obeyed. Outside, he closed his eyes as he waited, his head bowed and his mind veering from blank to frantic and back again. Only when he was beckoned back into the room did he realize how much he'd needed those extra few minutes to regain at least a semblance of composure.

Helen Scott was dressed in a fresh gown when he finally got to her bedside; however, the nurse's small, kind effort to make her a little more presentable had had little effect. Jason found his mother's skin still grey and papery-looking, her hair was limp and she looked weak and wasted, having lost more weight than she could afford.

Gingerly, Jason sat down on a stool and picked up a fragile hand. "Hello, Mom," he murmured, automatically beginning to rub circles on the dry skin with his thumb. "I- it's me, Jason." He felt stupid identifying himself like this, but the blue eyes seemed to look through him.

"J-jason?" Helen stammered, then coughed weakly. Her whole body convulsed and heaved as nausea made her retch violently, as if even that single word had been too much. Alarmed, Jason grabbed a kidney-shaped metal bowl from the nightstand, but there was nothing left to come up. Finally, the spasm subsided and Helen sank back into the pillow with a low moan. "Hurts …"

"I'm so sorry, Mom," Jason whispered, lifting her hand and holding it to his cheek. "I wish there was something I could do."

He got no answer, just another moan as a second, lighter spasm shook the frail body. It killed him to see his mother, whom he only knew as energetic and full of laughter, like this, and the feeling of utter helplessness didn't fade when another nurse came in and quietly exchanged the bags of fluid hooked up to an IV stand. Jason had no idea what they contained, but he assumed that it was either nutrients or more of the drugs that made his mother ill. Part of him wanted to rip the needle out of her arm, to shout at the doctors and nurses to stop this torture, but another, sane, rational part of his mind told him sternly not to be an idiot. _-If Mom __doesn't__ get whatever they're giving her, she might __die__ – either because the cancer can come back, or because she'll starve or dehydrate completely!- _

With a weary sigh, Jason rested his arms on the bed's railing, pressing Helen's hand against his beginning-to-ache head. How long he sat there, he had no idea; whenever his mother murmured a few incoherent words or stirred, he tried talking to her in low, soothing tones, but except for the one time she'd said his name there was no sign that she recognized him or even knew he was with her. Outside of the quiet room, activity in the ward picked up; meals were brought to patients, trays removed, doctors and nurses bustled about and a few early visitors dropped in on relatives and friends. Jason couldn't care less; all his attention was focused on the sick woman lying before him. Only when the door to his mother's room opened and whoever entered with firm steps stopped right after crossing the threshold did he turn to look who had come.

Still gripping the door handle, his stocky frame silhouetted against the bright corridor lights, stood his father.

Slowly, Jason straightened. He knew he'd gone pale, but didn't care – he wasn't here to stir up trouble, he just wanted to be with his sick mother! It took considerable effort, but Jason managed to meet the dark eyes so like his own. Like the last time he'd looked into them, over four years ago, they were blank and shuttered … staring right through him. Inwardly, Jason sighed. He knew what the pinched lips meant – there was no softening in John Scott's attitude; there would be no reconciliation.

_-I told myself I didn't expect anything from Dad. Looks like I've been lying to myself … I know now that deep down I __had__ hoped …-_

Clenching his teeth against the urge to force a reaction, anysign that he still existed for his father, Jason carefully released his mother's hand and stood. Determinedly ignoring the disapproval radiating across the room from the frozen older man, he bent and kissed his mother's forehead.

"Bye, Mom. You hang in there, you hear? I'll be back later."

When he approached the doorway, he tried to read his father's expression, but met only the same blank wall he'd been seeing since he'd revealed his relationship with Tommy. Mutely, John stepped aside and looked pointedly the other way, making it abundantly clear that he expected Jason to leave, _now_. Jason permitted himself a tiny, sad smile, nodded once and left, with just one anxious backward glance towards his mother. As soon as he had taken but two steps into the busy hallway, the door to room 341 clicked shut.

---

Talking to his mother's attending physician helped alleviate Jason's fear about her life to some degree; there were serious concerns, but it seemed her condition wasn't quite as hopeless as Rachel Oliver had made it sound. Jason didn't blame her; she'd told him that her information had come second-hand, and he _was _glad he'd made the trip. When all was said and done, he'd missed his mother too much, and seeing her again, being at her side when she needed support from all sides, was a Good Thing. Sighing, at a loss for what to do while his father was with Helen, he decided he might as well go outside and wait in the sunshine. Making a brief detour through the hospital public cafeteria, Jason bought a sandwich and some coffee, then took both outside to the small park behind the main building. He found a bench, sat down and had a first sip of coffee. The sandwich wasn't really appealing, but he knew he'd need the energy despite his lack of appetite … slowly, he unwrapped it, then laid it aside after the first couple of bites and took out his cell phone. Tommy answered after the third ring.

_"Oliver-Scott residence."_

"Hi, Tommy."

_"Jase! Are you okay, Bro? How's your mom?"_

Jason smiled at the genuine concern in Tommy's voice. In the background, he could hear men unpacking and setting up construction equipment, the sounds familiar since his childhood.

"I'm okay, and Mom's hanging in there – it's serious, but she's in no immediate danger, her doctor told me." Quickly, he summarized the conversation he'd had with the oncologist.

_"Whew. That's good to hear."_

"Yeah."

_"So are you with her right now?"_

"No," Jason replied. "There's too much electronic equipment in her room, monitoring mom; I couldn't use my phone there. I'm outside."

_"You didn't have to leave her just to call me," _Tommy rebuked him gently. _"Not that I don't appreciate it, but I could've waited." _When Jason didn't comment, Tommy got a sinking feeling in his stomach. There was only one reason he could imagine. _"Why __did__ you go outside, Bro?"_

Jason sighed deeply, confirming Tommy's suspicion. "Dad came," he murmured at last.

_"Don't tell me he dared kick you out!"_

"N-no – not exactly, anyway. He … he just made it clear he didn't want me there. At least not as long as he was visiting." Jason tried his best not to sound despondent, but had a sinking feeling it wasn't working. Tommy's voice confirmed that as he replied.

_"I'm sorry, Bro."_

"Yeah, well, it's not as if I expected a big, happy reunion," Jason snorted in a vain attempt at lightness.

_"But you were hoping for some kind of … softening in his attitude, didn't you?" _

The question, full of warmth, understanding and compassion, nearly broke Jason. He had to swallow hard several times before he could speak again. "I … I guess. Maybe."

_"God, Jase, I wish I could be there with you. At least I could-" _Tommy was drowned out by a loud crash in the background, followed by the whine of a circular saw and some indistinct cursing. _"Oh shit, I think something's gone wrong. I gotta go – but call me back as soon as you know more, okay? No matter what time; I'll keep the cell around all day."_

"Will do. And Tommy?"

_"Yeah?"_

"Thanks. I wouldn't know what I'd do without you," Jason murmured.

_"Anytime, Bro. I love you."_

"Love you, too." For the first time in hours, Jason found a small smile, even though there was no-one to see. "Talk to you later."

_"Right. Bye."_

"Bye." With a sigh, he cut the connection and clipped the phone back onto his belt. His coffee was lukewarm by now, and Jason grimaced as he took a sip. But he was feeling too drained to go back inside for another – and the sandwich _would _go down easier with some liquid. Leaning back, finding his appetite return gradually as he ate slowly, Jason lost himself in thought.

He had no idea how much time had passed, but the sun had risen considerably in the clear sky when he saw his father leave the hospital and walk across the parking lot towards his car. As soon as the familiar truck had driven off, Jason quickly made his way back to his mother, to leave her side only when the nurses asked him to – and when his father returned after work. Back at his hotel, he looked up a pizza delivery service and ordered, updating Tommy while he waited. He ate without appetite, then spent a long, anxious night alone in the dark room.

---

The next two days were a repeat of Monday, only interspersed by a lengthier talk with Helen's physician.

Jason was beginning to wonder if he'd ever feel less tight and worried as he made his way back to the oncology ward on Thursday morning. He resumed his by now customary position at his mother's side, holding her hand and murmuring softly to her whenever she seemed slightly more alert. His father came at the usual time and sighing inwardly, Jason prepared to leave, but to his surprise John was immediately followed by the doctor and a nurse.

"Good, you're both here," Dr. Gonzales said briskly. "I need to talk to you together."

Jason slowly stood, glancing covertly at his father, but he showed no reaction. _-Well … at least he's not throwing me out! That's something, I guess.-_ So he waited for the doctor's explanation with barely concealed impatience.

It wasn't long in coming. After consulting the patient chart, the white-haired physician began to speak. "As you know, Helen is having a particularly violent reaction to the medication; it _is _helping her as far as the cancer is concerned, but we _have _to get the other symptoms under control, and soon. She's dehydrating faster than we can make up for the lack of fluids, and what the vomiting and resultant cramps are doing to her heart and her stomach lining … well, the less said about that, the better." He drew a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but it could be the cure instead of the disease that'll kill her."

Both father and son blanched at the blunt statement. "I'm sorry," the doctor said. "I don't mean to be unfeeling, but we have no more time to skirt around the issue. If we don't do something now, today, we _are_ going to lose her – and I want that as little as you do."

Glancing quickly at his father, Jason waited a second or two whether he would give voice to what was undoubtedly foremost on both their minds now. When John just continued to stare at Helen, he decided it might as well be him who asked that all-important question. "Is … is there something you _can_ do?" The words came out all rough and hoarse, nearly sticking in his throat. He caught his breath when the older man nodded.

"Actually, yes. I've consulted with my colleagues, and we are in agreement that what we need to do is change the ratio of the chemicals we're giving her. As you know, it's a combination of several drugs; I'm not going to bombard you with details, but basically we'll cut down on some things, increase a few others. We'll also stop radiation for now, and increase the dosage later when we can resume. It'll likely cause her hair to fall out rapidly-"

"You think I care about that?" John snapped, finally joining the conversation.

The doctor smiled briefly. "No. But to continue – if it works, most other side effects will subside, namely the ones causing all the problems."

"So why haven't you done so already?" Jason wanted to know.

"Because it's a somewhat radical solution, not done very often. Plus, it's risky – _very _risky. But I'm fairly confident that it'll do the trick. If not …" He shrugged expressively. "Frankly, we've run out of options – and time. Either we do it now, or give up."

"No," John grated, balling his fists.

"You can't do that," Jason protested, their words overlapping.

"I'm not going to," Gonzales replied, looking from one man to the other. "I take it I have your consent, then?"

"Yeah … yeah," Jason murmured, feeling himself tense with sudden fear as he fought not to sway on unsteady feet. "Just save my mother. Whatever it takes."

"Get on with it," John Scott concurred.

"Right. Both of you need to sign the consent form, then." Holding out a pen and clipboard, the doctor waited until first John, then Jason had scrawled their signatures. "Okay, good. We'll start the new regimen right away. Are you both going to stay?"

Jason opened his mouth to say that of course he would, but was stopped short by his father's rough voice.

"I want to be alone with my wife."

It took every ounce of hard-earned control Jason possessed not to flinch as if struck.

_-No! I need to stay, too!- _Next came a thought that was almost as unbearable as John's initial rejection of him from four years ago. -_Does Dad hate me so much for following my heart that he can't even stand to see me at Mom's side when she might … might __die__?-_

With difficulty, Jason swallowed his instinctive protest. _-Sure looks like it.- _It hurt. More than he'd expected, but there was nothing he could do. He knew that protesting would be futile; no matter how much he wanted to stay, a husband's wish superseded the needs of a son. And this was neither the time nor the place to cause a scene; the important thing was to save Helen, if humanly possible. Suppressing a shudder and a sigh, Jason nodded once in mute acquiescence, carefully avoiding to look at his father. If he did, he might break down and start to beg – and he still had _some _pride left.

_-Not everything is lost yet … and I won't give Dad the satisfaction to show how much he's managed to get under my skin. If this __was__ good-bye, it'd be different, but as long as there's still hope … I'll find another way to be there for Mom. Somehow. At least in spirit.- _

"Sure. If you'll follow me, then – you can wait outside, if you want," the doctor said to Jason, gesturing towards the nurse to escort him outside.

Jason ignored him momentarily. He'd be damned if he didn't at least tell his mother he loved her one last time! Stepping towards the bed, he bent to kiss the clammy forehead. "Hang in there, Mom. I'll be back as soon as I can," he murmured softly. "I love you." Only then did he reluctantly give in to the nurse's slight tug on his arm, allowing himself to be led into the hallway and stand outside the now-closed door.

At a sudden loss for what to do, he turned away at last and left the ward. With heavy steps Jason walked slowly outside to 'his' bench in the small park, sank down wearily, buried his face in his hands and tried to pray.

---

He had no idea how long he sat there, his mind numb with dread and uncertainty, when the crunch of approaching footsteps on the graveled path and a familiar voice speaking his name caused him at last to lift his head. It took a moment to recognize the figure who had stopped only a few feet before him, and he stared incredulously into a well-known face he hadn't at all expected to see.

"Rocky? Is that you?"

"In living color," his old friend grinned. "Just no longer red or blue. Hello, Jason."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same question," Rocky said easily, sitting down beside him after asking and being granted permission with a slight gesture. "My great-uncle Felipe broke his hip last week; I'm visiting him on my way back from a short visit to my folks. What brings _you_ here, though? To Angel Grove, I mean?"

"Family emergency," Jason shrugged in an effort to ward off too-intrusive questions.

"Nothing serious, I hope?" When no answer was forthcoming, Rocky felt a small alarm bell go off in his mind. It wasn't like Jason to be so uncommunicative. "Are you okay?"

Jason looked away. He was sorely tempted to say yes, but couldn't bring himself to utter the blatant lie. 'Okay' was light-years removed from the way he felt, and he was sure even an idiot – which Rocky certainly wasn't – could see that. "Not really," he mumbled at last.

"Why, what's wrong?Is something the matter with Tommy?"_ -Unlikely, though; he'd be in a hospital closer to Reefside.- _" It hadto be someone else close to Jason who was the patient, then – and whoever it was had to be very sick; it was the only reason Rocky could think of that would bring such a haunted look to Jason's face.

"No, he's fine … at home, actually," Jason replied slowly, forcing himself to respond. He really wasn't in the mood for conversation, but he also couldn't rebuff his friend's obvious concern. "It … it's my mother," he explained reluctantly. "She's getting chemo and radiation therapy after cancer."

The terse words told their own story, and Rocky was experienced enough to fill in the obvious blanks. His brown eyes filled with compassion and he put a comforting hand on Jason's shoulder. "I'm sorry, man. I take it she's not doing well?"

Jason just shrugged. It was all the confirmation Rock needed.

"Want to talk about it?" he offered gently.

_-No, I don't.- _Jason barely checked what would've been a very rude refusal. He didn't want to share his burden on anyone except Tommy, who he knew would understand and try to soothe his anguish, but a glimpse of the cross-shaped pin Rocky wore on his shirt collar made him pause. Rocky was a priest; if _he_ wasn't used or qualified to listen, who was? At last, the need to talk to someone, _anyone _sympathetic overrode Jason's desire to hide his pain. Haltingly, he began to speak.

"She had a bad tumor; they removed it a while ago, but now she's reacting very badly to the chemo. Her doctor is changing the treatment right now; if that doesn't work … she may well die."

"God, Jason, I _am _sorry," Rocky repeated. Cancer and follow-up therapies could ravage victims as well as their families, as hard-won experience had shown him. He'd counseled strangers in this kind of situation before, but somehow, now, when it was a friend who needed comfort, he didn't know what to say. Rocky had a brief flash of memory of how cheerfully Helen Scott had always welcomed the gang at their home. To think of the vital, friendly woman as seriously ill, wasted both from disease and the necessary treatment was acutely painful even to him and made all the usual phrases meant to comfort sound trite or empty. Then he began to wonder why Jason was out here, alone, instead of sitting with his mother. He'd always thought that Jason's innate compassion and loyalty to the people he loved would make it impossible for him to stay apart from someone in need, even if all he could do was offer his presence, but …

Rocky sent up a quick, silent prayer to let him find the right words. "What are you doing out here, though? Don't you want to be close to your mother?" he asked cautiously, and was surprised to hear his friend snort with a bitterness Jason couldn't quite mask.

"My father is with her. He … he doesn't want me there."

"What? Why?" _-Surely Mr. Scott knows Jase is strong enough to support his family in their time of need? His mother as well as his father? After all, he's a grown man, not a child that needs protection …-_

Jason drew a deep, shuddering breath and slowly straightened, leaning back against the bench's backrest. He looked sideways at Rocky. "Tommy and I promised four years ago not to talk to you about our relationship," he said quietly, avoiding a direct answer.

_-Oh. It's about that. Shit.- _The implications of the terse statement weren't lost on Rocky. Under the circumstances, it could only mean that Jason had had a fallout with his parents over his relationship with Tommy – another man. It was a situation the young priest had been forced to deal with more than once in recent years, and he knew how hard it generally was on everybody it happened to, especially in a crisis like this. _-Even more so to someone who feels and cares deeply, like Jason.- _Four years ago, Rocky would've said that Jason only had himself to blame for the choices he'd made, but passing time had changed many things.

"At the time I didn't really know how to handle what you told me," he said, embarrassed at how self-righteous he'd been in the heady excitement of his then-newfound vocation. "I hope I've learned a thing or two since then."

"What about your beliefs, your principles? Your faith?" Jason wondered, momentarily distracted by the apparent change in attitude.

"A lot of praying and counseling, for myself and of others, have taught me that some things will always be immutable, and rightly so. But some others aren't worth much if I can't put them aside to be there for a friend in need." He smiled slightly. "I'm not going to bother you with the details of my, um, spiritual journey since then; this is not the time or place. But back then I had a lot less experience of life, and people – human nature, if you will. I hadn't learned yet that just because someone doesn't believe or act exactly as I would do doesn't necessarily mean they're beyond redemption or unworthy of my compassion. I'd still prefer not to hear about any of those, ah, 'personal details', but I _can_ lend you an ear now for anything else – if you want." Rocky squeezed the broad shoulder once. "I _am _still your friend, Jase. And I'm right here if you need me."

It wasn't the unstinting, unquestioning love and support Tommy would've offered him, but Jason realized that he did, in fact, need someone to unburden himself to. And to know that Rocky, the only one of their friends who had expressed reservations about them, was willing to listen and give whatever help he could was a ray of sunlight in the shadow these hellish days were under. Gratefully, he returned Rocky's smile.

"Well … you've probably guessed already that my folks don't approve of Tommy and me, right?" At Rocky's nod, Jason continued. "I don't want to rehash the whole sorry affair; that's over and done with. But if you really want to know what happened today … I could use someone to vent to."

"That's part of my job. And my privilege as a friend," Rocky replied simply and sincerely. "Vent away."

So Jason proceeded to do just that, pouring out all his anguish and fear. He knew that there was nothing Rocky, whether as a priest or friend, could realistically _do_, but it was cathartic just to be able to pour all of his jumbled emotions into a sympathetic listener's ear. He'd done the same each day during his phone calls with Tommy, but while he got a different kind of reaction from Rocky, it was better somehow to be able to talk without an electronic device pressed to his ear. Once it was apparent that Rocky didn't judge him, it became even easier to express at least part of his sorrow over his father's continuing rejection.

"And that's why I'm out here and not with Mom," Jason finished with a sigh. "I want nothing more than to be in there, even if it's just to hold her hand or be at her side, but …" He shrugged helplessly. "Dad's wishes supersede mine, as far as the hospital staff are concerned. There's nothing I can do."

"Unfortunately, neither can I," Rocky murmured, appalled. He honestly hadn't expected the depth of the rift that existed between his friend and his family.

"I know. Nobody can. But thanks anyway."

"For what?"

"For listening," Jason said with a weary smile. "I thought I didn't want to talk about to anyone, but … I guess I needed to, after all. It helps."

"Then I'm glad I could give you that much, at least," Rocky said simply. He shook his head ruminatively after briefly mulling over what he'd just heard. "For what it's worth, Jason … I think your father's wrong. I don't want to judge his attitude about your relationship with Tommy; that was your choice, and you have to live with the consequences. But no matter what issues he has over that, in my book he has no right to keep you away from your mother,. _Nobody _should interfere with the bond children have with their parents, or vice versa. That's plain wrong," he repeated.

"Yeah, well, I wish my father could see it like that."

There was nothing Rocky could think of to say to refute or contradict the quietly sad statement. Even though he'd been called to the priesthood only a relatively short time ago, he'd seen too much pain and misery caused by people's stubborn clinging to what they thought they wanted, only to regret things when it was too late, that he found it hard to feel compassion. Nor could he understand how anyone could reject their only child over something which, in the grand scheme of things, was neither harmful to anyone nor a crime. _-And boy, how hard was it for me to learn __that__ lesson!- _ Rocky deliberately shied away from the concept of 'sin'; he wasn't going to make the mistake again of applying _his _values to another person who didn't share all of them.

Both men sat silently for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. At last, Rocky posed another question that had come to his mind.

"Would you still have come here if it was your father being sick instead of your mother?"

"I guess," Jason replied slowly. "Yeah … yes, I would've. Probably not as quickly – I might've needed to think about it some more, but … no matter what happened before, I don't think I could've stayed away. He's my _father_, and I care about him. If that makes me an idiot, or maybe just a glutton for punishment, so what?" he added wryly.

Rocky had expected nothing else. "I think it makes you a good man – a good son," he replied.

Surprised, Jason looked at his friend. Seeing the warmth and compassion in the brown eyes, so similar yet different to Tommy's, made him feel a little better – not much, but enough to find a genuine smile for the first time in what seemed like ages.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

---

Back in Reefside, Tommy was taking a coffee break from the noise the construction workers were making. Half the back wall of his house was now missing and had been secured by a semi-transparent tarp while the crew was digging out a hole for the new foundation and laying pipe work. Tommy lent a hand wherever he could, but while he'd become a deft hand with screwdrivers and welding irons while racing for his uncle, he found that knowing how to fix an engine was a far different thing than building work.

_-Jase would've been in his element, though. He's worked in John's business all the time during school breaks, and would know what to do without having to ask or being shown every little detail!- _

Feeling frustrated and more than slightly useless, Tommy tried to work on his research, but even in the relative isolation of the Lair the inevitable sounds of people shouting at each other, hammering, sawing and whatnot was too much distraction. What was more, the whole morning he'd been uneasy and more than usually worried.

_-It's gotta have to do with Jase.-_

He only ever got this kind of feeling when something was wrong with his lover, because it had happened often enough in the past. Off the top of his head, Tommy could remember two instances that stood out – during the time the Gold Powers were starting to drain Jason's life force, or when he'd broken his wrist at work two years ago and Tommy had found his concentration abruptly disturbed in the middle of class. Jason admitted to having similar experiences, beginning from the time when Zedd had started targeting Tommy's Powers.

Today, Tommy was reasonably sure that Jason was _physically _safe in Angel Grove – barring an accident on his way to and from the hospital, or possibly a mugging – but the same most likely _couldn't _be said about his mental condition.

_-What if something bad has happened to Helen?- _In that case, Jason would most definitely be severely distressed. _-He'd call me, though. Wouldn't he?- _

Unless … unless he was too caught up in grief or something, assuming a worst-case scenario. Tommy eyed the phone on his desk consideringly. Should_ he_ call Jason and make sure he was alright, as much as he was likely to be given the circumstances? He checked his watch. Barely noon; if Jason stuck to the schedule they'd established since Monday, it would be several hours yet before he phoned home.

_-To hell with it.- _The nagging feeling wasn't going away, and Tommy was too antsy to wait until early evening. Hoping he'd get a connection or wouldn't interrupt anything, he picked up the receiver and dialed Jason's cell phone. _-Even if it's just to hear him say he's fine and will call back later!-_

---

"Isn't that your father?" Rocky asked, pointing discreetly towards the parking lot. Jason looked up and saw the stocky, grey-haired man slowly cross the tarmac towards the truck with its 'Scott Construction' logo, then drive off.

"Yeah. Which means I can now go back inside." He got up from the bench and stretched, taking a couple of eager steps before belatedly remembering he had company. Giving Rocky a sheepish smile, he rubbed his hand along his chin. "Um, sorry. Didn't mean to run out on you like that. It's not that I don't like talking with you, and I really appreciate you taking the time to listen, but …"

"But you need to be with your mother. Don't worry, Jason, I understand," Rocky smiled back, standing as well. "I really ought to get back, too; I was just going to buy some newspapers, and Uncle Felipe will be wondering by now whether I had to print 'em myself."

"Sorry to have kept you."

"Hey, no biggie. Come on, I'll walk with you to the lobby."

Together, the two former Rangers made their way back to the hospital entrance. They had almost reached the front steps when Jason's phone rang.

"Excuse me a sec."

"Sure," Rocky replied easily. He noted that Jason's expression immediately softened as he flipped open his cell and recognized the number on the display, and correctly surmised the caller's identity.

"Yes, Tommy?"

_"How's it going, Bro?"_

"Okay, I hope," Jason sighed, losing his smile as he turned slightly away from Rocky with an apologetic shrug. "Mom's doctor is suspending radiation for now and changed her medication earlier this morning; if that works, she should hopefully improve soon. If not …"

_"Don't even think it, Jase," _Tommy interrupted him gently but firmly._ -No wonder I was getting bad vibes from him!-_

"I'm trying not to." Drawing a deep breath, Jason sent a glance towards Rocky who was waiting patiently a few steps ahead, giving him privacy to talk with Tommy. "Listen, Dad just left; I'm on my way back in. Was anything the matter, or can I call you back tonight as usual?"

_"No, everything's going fine here. I just had a weird feeling all morning."_

A slight smile curved Jason's lips as he read the deeper meaning behind his lover's words. "I see. Actually, I _would_ have needed you if I hadn't found a good substitute."

_"A what?"_

"I met … an old friend. And I'll tell you everything tonight, promise."

_"Meaning you're letting me die of curiosity all day, huh?" _Tommy grumbled, then added,_ "Never mind, I'll live. Go see your Mom, and we'll talk later."_

"Right. Bye." Jason hesitated briefly, then lowered his voice. "Thanks for caring."

_"Always. Love you, Bro. Bye." _Before he was tempted to prolong the call, Tommy killed the connection and went back to his work, trying to stop worrying despite his lover's reassurances.

Jason clipped his cell phone back onto his belt, meeting Rocky's indulgent look with a somewhat sheepish shrug.

"That was Tommy," he explained unnecessarily. "He's, um, being his usual overprotective self."

"Like you're any different?" Rocky murmured with a smile. Jason had the grace to blush, and the smile widened into a grin. "Really, I figured as much. You guys always were protective about people you care about. Shoot, even back in high school you always seemed to know when the other needed help – of any kind. That radar kind of thing between the two of you is still going strong, huh? "

"It never stopped working," Jason confirmed. "But since I can't have Tommy with me, it was great that you were here. I don't know how I could've stood waiting all morning without having a friend around. Thanks." He held out his hand, and Rocky grasped it without hesitation.

"As I said earlier, Jason – my privilege, and my pleasure. I hope all goes well with your mother."

"Thanks. Your uncle, too."

After a few more words, the friends parted, each going to look after their respective relatives.

---

Jason found his mother resting much more quietly than the previous days, which was a relief in and of itself. It had hurt seeing her squirm and retch with frequent spasms, and listening to her weak moans had been torture. Now he sat quietly by her side, holding her too-cool hand in his much larger, warm ones as he kept silent watch. Nurses went in and out of her room at infrequent intervals, checking the monitors, IV drips and whatnot, but they paid him no heed for the most part, only gently shooing him out when they needed to change Helen's hospital gown and catheter. Jason took the opportunity for a quick bathroom stop and to get a sandwich from the cafeteria, then returned to room 341 to resume his vigil.

Afternoon was half-gone, and with a small sigh Jason realized that he would have to leave soon; his father would return right after work, like he did every day. Lifting the limp fingers, he kissed the back of Helen's hand, then fitted her palm against his cheek. "It's gonna be okay, Mom," he murmured the mantra he'd repeated all day in his mind. "You'll get well soon … you have to!"

He closed his eyes, losing himself in the sensation of a touch his mother had so often given him as a child. Thus, he didn't notice that the woman lying so still against the pale yellow hospital pillow slowly opened her blue eyes.

Helen Scott needed a couple of minutes to orient herself as she emerged from a haze of pain and semi-consciousness; she knew she was in hospital, that she was very sick, but she didn't at first recognize the dark head or the feel of beard-roughened skin against her hand. The man lookedfamiliar, but it took her a while to realize that it wasn't her husband's more grizzled head bent over her. When recognition set in at last, her heart started to beat faster, setting off one of the monitors.

"J-jason?" she murmured, her voice hoarse from lengthy disuse.

Jason's eyes snapped open as he heard his name spoken faintly even through the increased beeps of some medical contraption. "Mom?" he breathed incredulously, hardly daring to believe what his senses told him. Before he could say or do anything, he found himself momentarily pushed aside as a nurse bustled in, checked his mother's vital signs and reset the monitors.

"Good, you're awake," she said cheerily to her patient as she smoothed the bedclothes. "Dr. Gonzales will check on you shortly; is there anything I can do for you?"

"Thirsty," Helen managed after several tries.

"Right." Deftly, the nurse half-filled a cup with fresh water and held it to Helen's parched lips after topping it with a spouted lid. "Just a few sips for now," she cautioned. "I know you want more, but we'll have to see whether it'll stay down. If it does, you can have more in half an hour." Giving an encouraging nod to Jason, she returned to her duty station to inform the attending physician.

Jason hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from his mother's face – and except for the few moments when the nurse had blocked the view, Helen had stared right back at him, too. Resting once more against her pillow, she reached out to her son with a trembling hand.

"Jason … you're here," she whispered.

"Yes, Mom," he murmured back, nearly overcome with relief as he resumed his seat and once more grasped her hand.

"Thought … was dreaming …"

"No, you weren't," Jason reassured her. "I've been here since Monday, only you were too sick to know."

"Wha … what day …"

"Thursday afternoon," Jason replied gently. "Dad's still at work, but he'll be by soon. He's gonna be so relieved you're better!"

"Yes … John …" Helen sighed, a shadow crossing her exhausted face. Now that she was slowly regaining awareness of things beyond her physical misery, she unfortunately remembered the state of affairs between her husband and son – although she felt the stirring of a faint hope that maybe, just maybe they might have reconnected over her illness.

That hope was dispelled, however, when the door to her room opened minutes later and John Scott all but rushed in. "Helen?" he rasped from the doorway.

"Yes, dear," she smiled, but gasped in dismay when Jason immediately released her hand, stood and bent to kiss her brow.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Mom," he murmured. "Sleep well." Then, he left with a last smile and nary a glance at his father. John just stepped aside to make way for him.

Helen desperately wanted to call out, to hold her son back as she helplessly watched Jason's broad shoulders disappear through the door, but was distracted by her husband's broad, relieved smile as he rushed to her side and began to tell her how worried he'd been – and how glad that she was, to all appearances, doing much better. Sighing, she focused her attention on John until exhaustion overcame her soon after her doctor's visit. Helen fell asleep watched anxiously by her husband, her last waking thought the hope that her son would keep his promise and come back the next day.

That night's phone call to Reefside was much longer as Jason filled Tommy in on all that had happened during the day, sharing his relief and delight. Afterwards he decided to go out and have a proper meal for the first time in days. Feeling pleasantly full and mellow, he returned to his room and went to bed, reflecting that no restaurant food, however well prepared, could compare to the pleasure much simpler fare with Tommy gave him – simply because he'd be in the company of the man he loved.

_-Soon … soon I'll be back home. And with Mom apparently on the mend, everything is gonna be okay again …-_

Soaking up the peace that hope gave him, he fell asleep at last.

---

On Friday, Jason arrived at the hospital later than usual; he'd slept in for once, and found his father's truck already in the parking lot. Sighing, he considered briefly to wait on 'his' bench, then decided against it and spent a couple of hours in Angel Grove Park instead, revisiting places he and Tommy had spent most of their time at during their youth. The mild exercise was also a welcome break from days of sitting hunched over in uncomfortable chairs, and he was feeling better for it when he returned towards mid-morning.

Helen was awake and waiting for him as he entered the sunny room; a lot of medical equipment had been removed by now, making the surroundings much more cheerful.

"Hi, Mom," Jason smiled, depositing a small bouquet he'd bought on the way on her nightstand. "How do you feel?"

"Lousy," Helen grumbled, then softened the statement with a smile of her own as she held out both hands to her son. She no longer looked wasted, and her voice was much stronger, even though she still spoke haltingly, pausing often to rest her diaphragm lest the spasms start again. "What do you expect? They're frying me with radiation and pumping me full of drugs. And I don't even get to get high from all that stuff, just nauseous!"

Jason grinned; he knew too well that his own offbeat sense of humor was directly inherited.

"If you did get high, I'd have to start calling you Junkie Mom," he teased.

"Don't you dare, Jason Lee! You may think you're all grown up, but you're not too old for me to spank you once I'm out of this place. – Oh Jason, I'm _so _glad you're here," she whispered, her mood shifting suddenly from spunky to tearful. "I missed you so, baby!"

"I miss you, too, Mom," Jason replied quietly.

Helen almost blurted out 'why don't you come home, then?', but she managed to swallow the question just in time. The dark, expressive eyes held longing that seemed equal to hers, but she knew her son well enough to read the sadness and determination beneath. As long as John didn't relent, Jason wouldn't return to his parents' house. _-Does he love Tommy more than us, then?- _

That question, too, remained unspoken.

_-We made him choose once already. I'm not risking losing him again now that he's back by putting him on the spot.-_

So she just sighed and twined her fingers with her son's. Jason returned the pressure warmly, dusting another light kiss on the back of her hand. "So, any idea yet when they're gonna kick you out?"

Glad for the change to a safer topic, Helen smiled wryly. Talking was an effort, she was still damnably weak, but she gladly exerted herself for the chance to catch up on her son's life since he'd left Angel Grove. _-Four years lost that we'll never get back,- _she mourned silently even as she haltingly began to outline the treatment plan Dr. Gonzales had laid out earlier. From there, she deftly steered the conversation towards Jason's activities, listening avidly as he gave a detailed account of the challenges and rewards of his new job – including the award the students had presented him with a scant week ago.

"I haven't been this embarrassed since you made me wear that silly sailor suit to the Christmas party in second grade," Jason sighed comically. "It's a wonder Trini, Kim and Zack didn't disown me there and then. If Bulk and Skull hadn't gotten sick from all the cookies they'd snitched out of the kitchen and missed the hat at least, I'd never have heard the end of it until graduation!"

Helen smiled, both with pride at Jason's accomplishment and the memory. "But you looked so_ adorable_!" When Jason mock-scowled at her, she hastily asked another question, genuinely interested. "What are Kim, Trini and the rest of your friends up to these days? Are you still in contact with them?"

"Sure. We all try and meet once a year; other than that, we call or email each other. Even better, sometimes the whole gang gets together online on holidays, in a chat room – it's a great way to keep in touch." Recounting his friends' whereabouts and doings took up another twenty minutes. At last, though, Helen's curiosity was sated and she shifted exhaustedly on her bed.

"Are you okay, Mom? Do you want a nurse?"

"No … no, just getting a little tired," she muttered petulantly after requesting some more water which Jason solicitously gave her, then lowered the headrest. Why couldn't she stay awake now, when she was finally reunited with her only child? She didn't want to miss a single minute of his company! "I don't _want _to sleep!"

"Why don't you just close your eyes and rest a little?" Jason suggested. "I'll stay."

"Would you? Really?"

"Of course." Adjusting the hospital chair so that he could lean back, stretch out his legs and still hold his mother's hand, Jason tilted his head and grinned. "See? All set. Now be a good mom and sleep."

"Hmph." Too tired to argue, secretly glad for the care and understanding, Helen obediently closed her eyes. However, sleep wouldn't come; she was too busy digesting all the things Jason had told her. He might not have chosen a very glamorous career, but he was definitely as popular and successful in Reefside as he'd been in Angel Grove. She inwardly glowed with pride over her son's accomplishments, contemplating ways how she could boast – _-just a little bit, anyway!- _– to her friends until something that had been niggling at the back of her mind all the while crept to the fore. _-Jason has said a lot about his students, his colleagues, his friends – but nothing about his __life__. The one thing he hasn't mentioned at all is his relationship with Tommy.- _Helen knew she really shouldn't be surprised; after all, that was the reason why she'd all but lost her son, but as his mother she also couldn't help but wonder … and worry. Slowly, she dragged heavy lids open again and watched Jason as he sat by her side, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

The handsome face was relaxed, and he was looking well, but appearances could be deceiving. Helen started to debate with herself whether she should disturb the fragile peace between them with intrusive questions, but before she could come to a decision Jason turned his head and noticed her eyes on him.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" he chided gently as he straightened from his comfortable slouch.

"I can sleep later," Helen murmured. Throwing caution to the wind, she gripped the hand still holding hers as firmly as she could and asked the one thing she desperately wanted, no, _needed_ to know.

"Jason?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Are … are you happy?"

Jason answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Yes. Very much."

Helen searched the dark eyes for any sign that Jason might be … well, not lying, but perhaps sugar-coating things for her benefit, but they were clear and truthful. Even the low voice didn't display any doubt whatsoever, and finally she relaxed, sighing as acceptance settled over her at last.

"That's … good."

"Mom, did you honestly think I would've made the choices I did if I hadn't been sure? If I didn't love Tommy, in all ways?" Jason queried, his expression turning serious. "Because I do – and always will. I told you as much four years ago," he reminded her.

His mother sighed again. "I guess at the time I was too shocked and upset to really hear you," she murmured. Then – "It's just … I had set my heart on having grandchildren one day," she confessed softly. It wasn't the whole reason, more an evasion, but Helen didn't feel up to discussing deeper issues now. Besides, it also happened to be true. "When we couldn't have more children after you were born … I'd hoped …" Embarrassed, she freed one hand and wiped her suddenly teary eyes.

For several seconds Jason hesitated, as if he was going to tell some long-held secret, but visibly stopped himself. "That's … not very likely," was all he'd say. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"You never disappointed me, honey." Helen summoned a rather watery smile, having a sudden idea that he might have fathered a child at one point. _-If he had, he'd have either married the girl, or brought the baby home. He would never shirk such a responsibility.- _ "Well, except for depriving me of the big wedding I always wanted for you – and those grandbabies, of course."

"Sorry," Jason repeated and returned the smile. Still, Helen couldn't help the impression that a shadow veiled his eyes momentarily – then dismissed it as pure fancy, a frustrated grandmother's imagination.

"Don't be."

Jason intended to lighten the moment with a teasing remark; however, the door to Helen's room opened just then and John came in, his arms laden with flowers, balloons and magazines. His cheerful greeting to his wife died half-spoken when he saw Jason sitting by his mother's bedside, and like a bad smell an uncomfortable silence spread through the sun-lit room. Jason briefly closed his lids to hide the pang of pain that still caused him, then took leave of his softly-protesting mother.

"It's better this way, Mom. I'll see you again tomorrow."

John mutely stepped out of the way to free the door as his son approached, but looked determinedly aside, thus not even seeing the beseeching glance Jason sent him in passing. Then the door closed on the broad back and Helen, who _had_ noticed, sadly let go of the breath she'd been holding.

_-Will John ever permit himself to heal that rift __he__ created?-_

She didn't know – and right now, it seemed less likely than ever.

_To Be Continued …_


	19. Homecoming 3

**_Disclaimer: _**_Not mine, no money made._

**_Note I: _**_In response to the Live Journal PRSW 22 challenge, themes #09, hallways and #15, peace_

**_Note II: _**_Did I say "three-parter" last chapter? -sigh- This has now officially reached four parts. (I would've had to cut this installment in half anyway to post at LJ due to length, but dammit, I wanted it to be finished!) Yeah well, the best-laid plans of plotbunnies and woman … Whatever, right? Anyway, I told myself 'what the heck' and decided to post what I did manage to get done. – So here you go, folks. Enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 19: Homecoming, Pt. 3**

Tommy took Jason's call that night with a feeling of profound relief; his report seemed to indicate that his lover had at least managed to mend _some_ fences with his mother. And yet he quite clearly heard the note of sadness at John's continuing silence in Jason's deep voice. He wanted to hold him, to soothe and protect him if necessary – but how could he do that when they were nearly two hundred miles apart? Rubbing his neck, Tommy continued to listen as he absently stared at the tarp now covering what used to be the back wall of their living room. The construction crew had stacked their tools neatly at one side before leaving for the weekend; work wouldn't resume until two days hence. Meanwhile, he was stuck here in Reefside while Jason was sitting alone in a hotel room in Angel Grove when he was not at the hospital.

_-It'd be so much better if we could keep each other company! Only, Jase won't leave yet, and I can't very well just show up there …-_

Suddenly, Tommy's eyes opened wide. _-Why the hell not?!?-_

There really was no reason why he _couldn't _drive to Angel Grove and be with Jason, was there? Sure, it was a long trip either way for just one night, but they'd done it often enough in the past – and it would be worth it to be together.

Barely waiting for Jason to finish speaking, Tommy was already making plans. "Bro – I just had an idea. What do you say I come to Angel Grove tomorrow?" he suggested with barely-concealed eagerness. "You sound as if you could use some company."

_"Well, yeah, but … what about the building work?"_

"The plumbing's all done, the new foundation poured; the crew won't be back until Monday, so I'm free to go. I'm really not needed here."

_"Tom …" _

"Besides, I miss you," Tommy added persuasively, letting his genuine longing show in his voice – along with a subtle hint of sexual frustration. He realized that Jason might well be too preoccupied to make love, but even if all they did was hold each other and sleep, it _had_ to be better than both of them being lonely, right?

Back in his hotel room in Angel Grove, Jason smiled to himself as he recognized the husky undertone. He knew exactly how Tommy felt – because he was feeling the same way! Then, he sighed. As much as he wished his lover at his side, it just wouldn't work. Not with the way his days were scheduled around visits with his mother.

_"Bro, I love you for even thinking about coming. But … can I ask you to stay home? Please?"_

"Why? Don't you _want_ me there with you?" Puzzled and a little hurt, Tommy sank into the nearest chair.

_"Want, definitely. I'd like nothing better. But Tom …what would you do while I'm at the hospital with Mom? I want to be with her as much as I can; I'd really have no time for you. Not enough to make the trip worthwhile for you, anyway. And no offense, but I don't believe she's ready yet for you to come along with me."_ He paused and drew a deep breath._ "I don't even want to think about what Dad might say if he saw us together in her room. That could get … awkward, to say the least. " _

"Like whoa, to quote my students," Tommy acknowledged with a sigh as his enthusiasm deflated like a pricked balloon. Of course, he couldvisit his parents when Jason was at the hospital, but since there was no way of telling exactly _when_ Jason could be with Helen or had to wait for John to leave, they would probably end up playing tag all day. Jason also didn't need something _else_ to worry about, like if he was neglecting his lover. "Damn. I hate to admit it, but you're right."

_"Sorry."_

" No need to be. – Got any specific plans for tomorrow and Sunday?"

_"No – I'll have to see how the weekend goes for Mom. If she continues to improve, they'll start her back on radiation early next week; she won't have time or energy for visitors then and I'll be able to leave without feeling too bad. I really wish it made sense for you to come, but it doesn't. I'm sorry,"_ Jason murmured, genuinely regretful.

"Forget it. I just hadn't thought things through. It sucks, but them's the breaks."

_"Yeah. Thanks for not getting mad."_

"Hey, you usually give me better reasons to get mad at you than this," Tommy teased, determinedly tamping down on his disappointment. "Besides, you can always make it up to me when you come back."

_"Hmm. I'll think of something suitable,"_ Jason promised with a low, intimate laugh that sent a shiver of anticipation down Tommy's spine.

"Can't wait." Knowing his lover's fertile imagination and sometimes slightly kinky streak, Tommy stifled an anticipatory moan with difficulty. "Just take care, will you?"

_"Always. I have too much to come back to,"_ Jason replied huskily. _"Talk again soon?"_

"Whenever you can tomorrow," Tommy agreed. "Sleep well."

_"You, too."_

During the course of the following day, however, Jason more than once came to regret turning down Tommy's offer. He'd forgotten that his father worked only until lunchtime on Saturdays, which took care of an afternoon visit. Somehow, word of his mother's improved condition had gotten out, and several friends, neighbors and acquaintances phoned or dropped by the hospital all morning to see how she was doing, which made things even worse. All in all, he barely had one undisturbed hour alone with Helen in the morning – and once John arrived, he knew that there would be no chance to be with her until the evening, if then.

With several hours on his hands unexpectedly, Jason decided to drive down to the ocean. He wanted nothing but to sit and think at a secluded spot, but with school out for the summer in Angel Grove as well, the beach was fairly crowded and it wasn't easy to find the quiet solitude he longed for. Finally he managed, though, and let the eternal rhythm of the gently-rolling waves soothe him. The sky above the horizon was streaked in a glorious symphony of red and gold by the setting sun when he returned to the hospital at last. As he'd hoped, Helen's room was now empty of visitors, and she greeted him with a smile.

"You poor boy – did you find something to do all day? I hadn't expected so many people," she said.

"I was at the beach," Jason replied easily. "One of my old favorite spots. Made me feel quite nostalgic."

"Well, things should be quiet again come Monday," Helen remarked. "Reverend Sanders has asked if he can look in after church tomorrow, and possibly a few women from my volunteer group will come by, too."

_-Shit. From the looks of it, Sunday will be even busier than today.- _He hid his dismay at the prospect of having to waste another day dodging visitors, when all he wanted was to spend time with his mother. _-And I can't stand all those nosy questions they're wont to ask, either!-_

"Yes. but we can have a nice chat when I'm back from radiation therapy on Monday afternoon."

"Oh – have they decided to resume treatment next week, then? Isn't that kinda early?" _-Damn and double-damn. Weekday mornings were the only times I could be sure not to run into Dad!-_

"Dr. Gonzales thinks the sooner, the better. And if I don't get so sick again, I can continue the treatments at a rehab clinic." Helen pulled a face. "Everybody else gets to do chemo as an outpatient, or just by staying overnight. Why do _I_ have to be cooped up in a hospital?"

"Everybody else doesn't have the same violent reaction to the treatment as you did," Jason reminded her. "No wonder they want to keep you under close observation."

"Hmph." Helen pouted. "You're not supposed to be more reasonable than I am, you know that? Who's the parent here, anyway, and since when are you going all mature on me?"

Jason laughed. "Hey, _you_ brought me up like this. It's all your own fault!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I made a mistake," Helen grumbled, then joined in his laughter. "Or maybe not," she added more softly. "You turned out pretty okay overall, if I do say so myself."

"Thanks – I think."

They were interrupted by one of the nurses who brought a mild sedative to help Helen sleep through the night. Jason waited until she was done, but instead of being able to resume the conversation, he was gently but firmly asked to leave. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. We have some very sick patients here, and we can't have their rest disturbed."

"We'd be quiet," he protested, to no avail.

"Hospital policy. Sorry."

With a helpless shrug, Jason and Helen resigned themselves to the inevitable and he wished his mother a good night.

Back at his hotel, though, he took a long, hard look at the situation and how it was likely to develop over the next few days. He didn't want to hang around for hours each day with nothing to do, as he'd done today. During the past week it hadn't mattered, because it was a touch-and-go situation and he needed to be there if his mother had suddenly made a turn for the worse. Thankfully, that hadn't happened; Helen wasout of danger now – but that increased the likelihood that his father would visit more frequently, too.

_-We're inevitably going to run each other more often – and I dunno how much longer I can stand his indifference and hostility,- _Jason thought as he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. _-Not when I don't have anyplace else to go and no work to distract me. And how long Dad can stand having me around without exploding is anyone's guess.- _

There was no way he'd risk a serious confrontation with his father. According to Helen, John's heart condition hadn't improved, and Jason didn't want to tempt fate. The longer he stayed, the greater the probability that an already volatile situation would explode into everybody's faces.

_-Which leaves me with exactly one choice.- _

It was one of the hardest decisions Jason ever had to make, but he felt it was the right one. With a heavy heart, he tried to fall asleep at last.

---

After a restless night, he slipped into his mother's room just as she finished her breakfast – the first solid food she'd been allowed for days. Helen's face was scrunched up with barely-concealed disgust as she chewed, but as soon as Jason sat down, she pushed the tray aside and greeted him with a smile.

"Aren't you going to finish that?" he wanted to know. "You need to eat, or you'll never get your strength back!"

"What strength? From plain white bread with no crust and barely a teaspoon of low-fat cream cheese? You're kidding, right?" she harumphed. "They won't even let me have coffee!"

"Herbal tea is good for you; at least it's got a little taste to it." Jason grinned. He knew his mother's breakfast preferences usually ran along more savory lines.

"Funny definition of 'taste' you have," Helen muttered.

"It's got to be better than getting fed by tube."

"Not by much!" She shook her head. "Ah, who cares – you're not here to discuss my so-called diet, or rather the lack of it. What brings you here so early?"

Whatever good mood Jason had had made way to seriousness. He took Helen's hand. "I wanted to say good-bye in private," he murmured, his eyes and voice filled with regret.

Helen's smile vanished. "What?"

Jason sighed. If only he knew how to soften the blow! "I'm going home, Mom."

She stared at her son. "Today?"

"Yes."

"But … but why? I was looking forward to spending more time with you now that I'm getting better – we haven't seen each other for so long," she protested.

"You know why," Jason said quietly. "Think about it, Mom – you said yourself last night that you'll be getting lots of visitors today. Between your friends and Dad, how much time would be left for us – for _me_?" The confusion and hurt in the blue eyes made Jason squirm guiltily inside, so he steeled himself to give his mother the realreason behind his decision. "To tell the truth, I'm tired of having to leave every time Dad comes to see you. He's made it very clear that doesn't want me around. I might as well be invisible to him, for all that he shows he even knows I exist."

Helen blanched. Deep down, she'd known why Jason had made the decision to leave, but there was still hope that John would come around eventually, wasn't there? Provided Jason was _there _to change his father's attitude! But a glance at the determined face showed her that Jason wasn't going to budge on this.

"Don't hate him," she begged without thinking, only to blush with embarrassment when he looked at her, a silent rebuke in the dark eyes.

"I don't," Jason said, then inhaled deeply. Maybe it was time to tell his family what their rejection had done to him. "Quite the opposite, no matter what Dad might think." He paused briefly to collect his thoughts, then went on. "I was hurt when Dad literally turned his back on me … and when you took his side so completely. I went through hell because of it; if I hadn't had help from Tommy and a couple of good friends, I don't know if I'd been able to come back out relatively sane. I'm not going to put myself through all of that again just because Dad can't accept me for who and what I am. Frankly, Mom – I owe it to myself not to let him treat me that way any longer. Not if I want to have _some _pride left."

Jason swallowed to moisten his dry throat and to get rid of the lump that had formed there when he started his explanation. He'd said the same things to Tommy years ago, but it was different, _harder _somehow to tell his mother. "What's more, I refuse to put _Tommy_ through that same hell a second time. I love you _and _Dad, but I also love Tommy. Neither is going to change, and if Dad can't live with that, tough deal. I came back because I'd heard from Rachel Oliver that you were seriously ill – and before you ask, yes, I _had _hoped that just maybe Dad would find it in himself to change his position for _your _sake. From what I've seen this week, though, he hasn't – and I have no place here anymore. It's not what I want, but it sure looks as if it's the way it _has_ to be."

"What if … what if I talked to your father?" she offered in an attempt to change Jason's mind.

"You could have done that any time in the past four years," Jason replied calmly, amazingly without rancor, and she winced.

_-Yes, I could – I should have done so,- _she thought guiltily. "Believe me, I tried – in the beginning, anyway," Helen murmured, blushing. "But he got so worked up each time I started to, I couldn't risk upsetting him even more because of his uncertain heart condition. Then I thought to let some time pass, let your father calm down and try again at the right moment, but …"

"But the right time never came, did it?" Jason finished. "Why do you think _I_ waited so long to tell you about my orientation?" His fleeting smile made Helen feel even worse. He had every right to be bitter and angry; she counted it as a small miracle that she could detect no trace of it in his expression.

"No, it didn't," she admitted in a small voice, feeling tears well up. She gulped them down with an effort. "I don't want to lose you, Jason!"

"You'll never lose me, Mom." Jason reached into his shirt pocket and handed his mother an envelope he'd taken from his hotel. "In here's my address, email, phone and cell numbers – even my 'net handle if you ever want to look me up online." He named the chat program he and Tommy regularly used to meet with their friends. "Contact me whenever you want, or can."

"But I need you …"

"No, you don't," he contradicted her gently. "You only think you do because you still haven't fully recovered. Just wait; once you're done with rehab, you'll go back to your life and everything will be back to normal."

_-It's not normal that I have no contact with my only child just because my husband can't accept his choice of life partner!- _The rebellious thought remained outspoken, though, when Jason got up and kissed his mother.

"I've got to go, Mom. It's a long drive, and I'd rather remember your face on the drive home than Dad's disapproval. Get well soon – and if you need me, you'll know where to find me, okay? Just remember I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Helen choked, clinging to Jason until he gently but firmly pried her fingers from his hand.

"I'll remember that." He gave his mother a last hug and kiss, then went to the door. Just before he left, he turned one more time. "Good-bye, Mom."

With a final smile and wave, Jason was gone. All Helen could do was watch him stride down the hallway until the tears she no longer could suppress started to fall.

---

Half an hour later, the senior Scott arrived at the hospital to find his wife still weeping quietly, clutching the envelope Jason had given her. She looked exhausted and seriously upset, making him forget all the get-well wishes friends and family had told him to convey as he immediately rushed to her bed.

"Nell? What's wrong? Are you having a relapse, or did the doctor give you bad news?"

"N-no," she sobbed.

"Then what are you crying for?" he asked, relief that she seemed okay mixing with incomprehension.

"He's left, John," Helen wept, grief and guilt overcoming her again. "H-he said I don't need him anymore, but I do! I do!"

Puzzled, John frowned. He'd passed the oncologist at the nurse's station, and he hadn't said anything beyond a distracted hello. "Dr. Gonzales is leaving?"

"Not my _doctor_, John," Helen hiccupped. "I'm talking about _Jason_!"

"Oh." His lack of response and visible closing-off succeeded in drying Helen's tears like nothing else could have. Sniffling, she glared at her husband. _-Really, how dense can he get?-_

"Yes, 'oh'," she muttered, wiping her cheeks. She was feeling decidedly shattered and not really up to a confrontation, but … slowly, anger began to grow within her, drowning out her guilt and sorrow. _-Oh, the heck with it! It's past time I said what I feel. I've followed John's way long enough – now it's time to follow my heart!- _Jabbing the button that would elevate her bed into a sitting position, she fixed her husband with a determined stare.

"John, I want you to listen to me – I'm really not feeling well today, and that has nothing to do with my cancer, or the chemo. But it has _everything _to do with the fact that I just let my son, _our only child_, walk away from us a second time just because _you _can't live with the fact that he's not perfect!"

"What?" John had expected a lot of things, but not a tirade of the sort Helen had just given him. Only three days ago she'd been at death's door, sick, weak and helpless – and it should take days, or weeks, until she was well enough to get so worked up over _anything_! "Helen, I-"

"Don't 'Helen' me," she interrupted, eyes blazing and her cheeks turning from pale to red. "I didn't say much four years ago because I feared for your health if I continued to beg you to relent – but you managed just fine when I almost died, didn't you? Well, if your heart can stand _that _strain, you can darned well stand to hear what I should've told you right then." She drew a deep breath.

"At our wedding, I promised to honor, love and obey you – and I've done so for almost forty years. Haven't I?"

He gaped in stunned surprise, and Helen felt a wicked satisfaction when she saw his expression. "Answer me, John!"

"Y-yes, yes you have," he stammered. "But …"

"No buts; I'm not finished! What I _never _promised, though, was that I'd turn my back on my child – even if he made choices I find hard to understand or have a hard time approving." Helen wearily shook her head and leaned back against her pillow, forcing herself to calm down. "Look, I'm not saying that I'm entirely happy about the way Jason chose to live his life," she went on, then snorted. "Oh heck, I might as well call a spade a spade. Our son is bisexual, in love with another man, and is living with him."

John flinched at the bald statement, but Helen ignored him.

"I don't understand why or how, maybe I never will, but it's _his _choice, and he's _happy_. That's all I ever really wanted for Jason. He's successful in his career, he is an honorable man, and even though we hurt him when we all but kicked him out, he doesn't hate us. What more do we – do _you _– want?"

"I want him to be _normal_," John blurted, getting angry. "Not some … some deviant who has to hide from people and is laughed at behind his back!"

"He's _not _a deviant! He didn't choose to be bisexual, and Tommy didn't make him so. If anything, he was born with this … this inclination, and there's nothing you, I or anyone else can do about it! Get real, John – do you really care more about what people might say than about our son?" Barely hiding her irritation, Helen forced herself not to shout. "Besides, I don't think anyone has ever laughed at Jason," she said. "Surely his students wouldn't like him so much if they did." Briefly, she told John about Jason's award.

"That's probably because nobody knows," he muttered, unwilling to accept that Jason's life was, indeed, 'normal' by anyone's standards.

"Jason and Tommy don't make a secret out of their relationship. They may not be into gay activism, but they're definitely not in hiding, either, as you seem to think!"

John nearly choked at Helen's use of the word 'gay'. "Don't tell me that doesn't create problems!"

"None that I know of. Their bosses and colleagues are aware they're a couple, and nobody seems to care who they sleep with as long as they do their jobs. Apparently, our son does his extremely well, too!"

"And you _believe _him?!?"

"Jason has never lied to me," Helen said quietly. "Not about anything _this_ serious." She let that sink in for a few moments, then touched her husband's arm and continued more softly. "John – I almost died. If there is one thing I've learned from this, it's that I don't want to live the rest of my life with regrets. The one thing I regret most is that during the last four years I pushed Jason away from me for no good reason."

"And what, exactly, do you expect me to do about it?" John visibly controlled the temper he'd passed on to his son. His voice had turned cool and indifferent on the surface, but Helen heard an undertone of doubt and defensiveness that gave her a faint hope that he wasn't quite as adamant as he tried to appear. She chose her next words with care.

"Nothing that you're not willing to do, John. I _expect_ nothing," she repeated. "I just want my son back. Just so you know, as soon as I'm able, I _will _contact Jason. I hopethat he'll let me call, or even visit him now and again; if that means dealing with Tommy, too, so be it."

Suddenly tired, she turned her head aside and lowered her bad back into a reclining position, only to glance back at John a minute later, a determined expression on her once again pale face. "Don't try to change my mind about this, John; it won't work. Jason is my child, I love him, and I want him to be a part of my life again, not waste more time on arguments and recriminations. It's up to you to decide whether _you _want to be a part of that, too." With that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep a short while later, exhausted from the emotional roller-coaster she'd been on.

John Scott was left sitting silently, his mind in turmoil, mulling over things he'd refused to listen to until this very day.

---

It was lunchtime when Jason pulled into the driveway at 1992 Valencia Road; he'd called ahead from a rest stop an hour ago, and Tommy was sitting at the bench table on the front porch, waiting for him. He stood, waiting for Jason to lock his car and climb the few steps.

"Welcome home," he smiled.

Jason dropped his bag and went directly into his lover's arms. "Don't say anything," he requested, his voice weary. "Just hold me?"

"Sure." Slightly worried, Tommy complied as he wrapped one arm around Jason's waist, the other around his chest. Jason followed suit, rested his head against Tommy's neck and sighed softly, his breath warm on Tommy's skin. After a couple of minutes, Tommy began to rub slow, soothing circles on the broad back, noting with relief that the powerful muscles, while tense, weren't half as knotted as he'd feared.

_-Nothing more than you could expect after a long drive and a week of mostly sitting in a hospital chair. Whew.-_

At last, the tight hold Jason had on him relaxed; he inhaled deeply once and finally raised his head to kiss Tommy lightly on the lips. "Thanks," he murmured. "I needed that."

"Anytime," Tommy smiled back. Lowering his arms, he left one around Jason's hips as if to reassure himself that Jason was truly back. Slowly walking inside, they stopped in the hallway, and Tommy gestured vaguely towards the living room. "So … wanna tell me all the gory details you didn't want to mention on the phone?"

_-We can sit on the couch where I can touch and see him at the same time; where I'll be right beside him if he needs comforting …- _

However, his well-meant plan for a cozy one-on-one talk flew right out the window when Jason shook his head no.

"Let me get showered and changed first, okay? And maybe you can whip up something to eat while I'm unpacking?"

"Sure," Tommy replied, a little taken aback by the refusal. Was Jason going to withdraw into himself again like he'd done four years ago? He obviously wasn't shrinking from his touch, but Tommy had a feeling they _needed _to talk about what had happened in Angel Grove. "If that's what you want …"

Jason gave his lover a fleeting grin. "Right now, yes." Then he chuckled at the skeptical look Tommy couldn't quite mask. "Don't get your pants in a twist, Tom. I _am_ going to tell you everything that's happened, but I really want that shower – and I'm really, _really _hungry!"

Laughing sheepishly, Tommy shrugged. "Oh, okay, But don't blame me for worrying."

"I don't; it's kinda cute." Gently disentangling himself from the light hold they still had on each other, Jason winked at Tommy's mock-outraged sputter and went towards the staircase. "Be back in a few minutes."

Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Tommy went to the kitchen to heat up some bread and throw together a nutritious salad-with-everything over pre-cooked bits of turkey meat. It would be better than the endless sandwiches Jason had had during the past week and light enough for lunch; they could eat something more substantial at night. A quick rummage through the freezer procured a bowl of chili, and he set it out to thaw.

By the time Jason came back downstairs in loose shorts and a t-shirt, Tommy had also started coffee, located Jason's favorite blue-cheese dressing and was pouring cold drinks. "Oh, that's perfect. Thanks!"

Both men sat down and began to eat in companionable silence; when they were done, Jason filled two mugs with coffee and carried them outside. Comfortably seated on the shaded porch at last, he began to tell Tommy all the details he'd left out of his nightly reports.

"… and that's when I left," he sighed, finished at last. "Mom probably wasn't very happy, especially as I hadn't given her any warning I was leaving, but … it's the way things played out. I _couldn't _go through another day like yesterday, and she'll have to concentrate on her therapy next week anyway. I'd just be in the way."

"I bet it wasn't an easy decision for you to make, though," Tommy surmised.

"It wasn't. But I had to."

"Yeah, I guess you did." Pouring the last of the coffee, Tommy sat back and sipped the cooling liquid, watching Jason from half-closed eyes. He looked relaxed enough, but his face had a rather pensive expression. "How do you feel about having told your Mom about why you were really leaving again?"

Jason sighed. "A little guilty, to tell the truth. _She_ wasn't the one who needed to hear that stuff; I really ought to have said it to Dad. But as he's continued to ignore me … it felt kinda, well, liberating to get it off my chestat last."

"If I know your Mom, she'll make sure your father gets to hear a _lot_ eventually," Tommy commented with a slightly vicious smirk. He wasn't all that sorry that Helen had had to face what her inaction had cost her son at last – and in his entirely biased opinion, John deserved every bit of blame and recrimination a hopefully remorseful mother could fling at him!

"I guess," Jason murmured, trying not to feel satisfaction and a little malicious glee as he pictured the scene. When it came to getting results, his mother was a past mistress at guilt-tripping a person! "Anyway, that's all that happened to me. Mom's on the mend, I got to see and reconnect with her again, Rocky seems to have gotten more tolerant of us … not bad for a week that could've gone horribly wrong, I'd say."

"Uh huh," Tommy agreed, then reached out to touch Jason's arm. "Thanks for being ready to share, Bro."

"I learned my lesson," Jason smiled wryly. "Besides, I didn't want you to have to call Eric again to give me another 'reminder'."

Tommy had the grace to blush. "Yeah, well … if I hadn't been at my wits' end then …"

"I know. Back then, I needed a good kick in the ass; I just didn't think it'd be literal. Besides, something good came out of that as well, right?"

"Two new friends, yeah," Tommy nodded. "We really ought to get together with them again sometime this summer."

"Maybe we can invite them over for your birthday this fall; or have a housewarming party or something once we're done with the addition. Speaking of which – wanna show me how far the crew have got while I was away?"

"Sounds like a plan. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour, even if there's not much to see yet except the foundation."

---

"Lookin' good," Jason commented once Tommy had shown him around the construction site and pulled back the tarp a little to give an impression of how much bigger their living place would be once they were done. "I think we'll have enough room – especially if we put up some sort of partition between the seating and the lair's entrance."

"Hmm, yeah. But I wouldn't want to have a wall there."

"No, I was thinking more of a bookcase – either open from both sides, or two narrow ones back to back. We'll have to go look."

"Oh great, furniture shopping," Tommy groaned. "I thought we were done with all that stuff after choosing paint and floor coverings!" Jason laughed.

"Hey, at least all we'll have to check is measurements; the hard part will be when we need to replace the couch and chairs!"

"Don't remind me," Tommy sighed. He watched Jason wander around the new foundation, looking at every angle. Suddenly, he noticed that he was wincing and circling his head as he rose from a crouch. "Are you okay, Bro?"

"Just stiff and a bit sore from all that sitting I've done last week," Jason reassured him. "Nothing a little exercise won't cure tomorrow."

"Are you sure that's all?."

"Yes. Stop being such a worrywart," Jason chided. "I'm fine!"

Tommy eyed him consideringly. "Okay, if you say so." Then he raised an eyebrow. "But why don't I give you a back rub?"

The dark eyes lit up. "Would you?"

Tommy grinned. "Sure. I knew you weren't gonna resist that."

"Definitely an offer I can't refuse," Jason grinned back. "Is it bedtime already?"

"Not for a while – but why wait? I can just get a blanket and some lotion and do it here in the yard." He laughed outright as Jason immediately started looking for the perfect spot. "Okay, okay, I can take a hint!" Whistling to himself, Tommy disappeared into the house. When he came back, Jason had not only already stripped off his shirt, but brought a cooler with drinks and some fruit outside and was now waiting with an expectant smile. Quickly, Tommy unrolled the self-inflating camping mattress and spread a blanket across, then motioned for his lover to lie down. Jason complied and Tommy straddled his thighs, pouring lotion into his hands.

"Careful, this might be a little cold at first …"

He needn't have worried; except for a soft hiss at the first touch, he had Jason soon groaning softly with pleasure as he started his massage, mixing undemanding caresses with more determined kneading.

"Mmm." The deep voice rumbled contentedly as Tommy worked out kinks and loosened muscles.

_-Man, I love hearing that sound. Like having my very own pet lion …-_

"Feels good?"

"Feels terrific," Jason murmured, gradually relaxing under the influence of sunlight, a full stomach and his lover's gentle ministrations. He felt a familiar flutter in his stomach when Tommy's fingertips strayed too close to his chest or the swell of his butt, but for now Tommy was carefully avoiding turning the massage into something more intimate. Which was fine with Jason – not that he _wasn't _looking forward to making up for a week's worth of missed opportunities, or that he had any reservations about sex in the yard, but he was feeling too mellow right now to give in to the faint stirring.

_-There'll be time later tonight …-_

As if he'd been reading Jason's mind, Tommy chuckled softly as he paused momentarily to squirt a little more lotion into his hands and press a kiss right between Jason's shoulder blades.

"You know, whenever I give you a back rub, or you give one to me, I'm reminded of our first time, back on the Rez."

The broad back quivered as Jason laughed. "Yeah. Fun times." His voice was muffled from lying face-down with his head resting on his crossed arms. "Especially before, when you fell off that horse. Man, you were mad!"

"And wet, and sore, and generally miserable," Tommy added dryly, sneaking in a quick tickle that had Jason squirm and grumble in protest within seconds.

"Stop that!"

"Spoilsport." Obligingly, though, Tommy resumed his slow, soothing motions along the tanned skin. "But in hindsight, it was all good. That massage, and what you turned it into, is one of my best memories."

Jason turned his head sideways and looked over his shoulder. "Mine, too," he replied huskily. "Especially after all those mishaps we had before."

"Uh huh." With a final pat and squeeze, Tommy finished at the trim waist, touching the rounded butt teasingly before he rose and lay down next to Jason. "Feel better now?"

"Mmm. Much. Why'd you stop, though? I was just getting nice and sleepy," Jason murmured, sounding rather drowsy. His lover only laughed.

"Bro, I love you, but if you think I'm gonna carry you to bed if you fall asleep on me here, dream on! I told you before, you're not Kim!"

"Well, shit. Can I at least get a kiss?"

"Of course. Turn over." Tommy waited until Jason had rolled onto his back, then leaned forward and captured the waiting mouth with his own. Their lips met almost shyly at first, and tiny pecks and nibbles only gradually gave way to careful exploratory licks as both men rediscovered familiar territory. As they continued to kiss, their tongues intertwined more deeply, yet they kept it soft and gentle. The hunger for more simmered just below the surface – they could tell from the other's racing heartbeat and rapid breaths – and it _would _be satisfied later. For now, the love was enough.

"I wish we could afford to dig a pool," Jason sighed wistfully as they rested side by side, his head settled comfortably on Tommy's shoulder. "Or at least have a hot tub; it'd be nice if we could just strip and get into the water together."

"Maybe we should start playing the lottery," Tommy suggested playfully.

Jason snorted. "If we won the lottery, I'd want a house like the Collins mansion somewhere on the beach," he said. "This place is great, will be even better once we're through with the construction, but I sure wish sometimes it were closer to some water."

"Why not go for a private island, while we're daydreaming? Somewhere tropical, nobody around … nobody to see a thing if we decide to run around naked all day …" Surprised, Tommy heard Jason's breath catch with a soft hiss. "Would you like that?"

The dark eyes had turned smoky with longing. "It's a fantasy I used to have," Jason confessed. "You and me together, in or near a jungle of sorts – all the comfort we could wish for if and when we want it, but clothes were definitely optional." He shrugged sheepishly. "As I said, a fantasy. We could never afford it, and I really wouldn't want to live so far from everything all the time, but …"

"… it's a very tempting idea, I agree." Tommy could picture the scene himself very clearly, and had to stifle his own sigh. Then, he raised himself up on one elbow and waited until Jason looked directly into his eyes. "Jase – we both know we can't have that kind of lifestyle, but I'm pretty sure what we _can _have is that fantasy of yours. At least once, and for a little while."

"We can? How?"

"A vacation," Tommy replied simply. "There must be places where people live like that … and are willing to make such dreams come true for others. Maybe in Hawaii, the Maldives, or the Caribbean … some place like that, I don't care. But if we want it bad enough, we _can _make it a reality one day."

"I'd like that," Jason said, touching Tommy's cheek. "I'd like that very much – someday."

"Then consider it a promise."

"Ditto."

Fittingly, they sealed it with a kiss.

---

All through the afternoon, Jason and Tommy went about their business, stopping frequently to exchange slow, languorous kisses and gentle touches whenever they passed each other or one of them just felt like getting close. After one such interlude in the kitchen, Jason stayed pressed against Tommy a few moments longer.

"You know … this is almost like last weekend, before your mother's phone call sent everything to hell in a handbasket," he murmured into the short hair behind Tommy's ear. "Only, not. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Tommy smiled reminiscently, letting his fingers trail down the broad back until he could cup one tight buttock with one hand while the other toyed with the elastic waistband of Jason's shorts. "I can't touch you enough either. The only difference is, today we're not going at it like a pair of sex-crazed bunny rabbits."

Jason's shoulders started to shake with laughter as he drew back and glared playfully at Tommy. "Gee, what a sexy image. Could it get any hotter?"

"Well, we were!"

"Yeah, but – bunny rabbits?!?"

Tommy shrugged sheepishly, slipping his fingers inside Jason's shorts at last. He nearly gasped when he encountered bare skin. "They're soft, and cute, and fluffy …"

"Just like you, huh?" Jason snickered at Tommy's instantly-outraged expression, then yelped when his buttcheek got pinched in retaliation. "Ow!"

"That'll teach you," Tommy muttered, soothing the smarting spot with a teasing foray to the cleft right next to it. He smiled at the low moan rising from his lover's throat and drew their hips closer together. To his delight, he could feel Jason slowly grow erect underneath the thin cotton. "Although I notice that right now you seem to be getting kinda, um, less soft …"

"Speak for yourself," Jason replied throatily, wedging his own hand between their bodies to stroke Tommy's also burgeoning erection through his pants. "Wanna do something about it?"

"You think we should?" Tommy claimed another kiss, more intense than the one which had instigated the situation.

"Please …"

Chuckling at the breathy request, Tommy gave Jason a gentle push towards the nearest countertop. "My pleasure." Soon, Jason was leaning against the furniture, with his ass propped against the work surface. He spread his legs so that he and Tommy were standing crotch to crotch; as Tommy sensually shimmied his t-shirt out of the way, he began to shiver in anticipation. They kissed again, more deeply now, until they were both breathing hard. With a wolfish yet tender smile, Tommy drew down Jason's shorts and knelt, drinking in the sight of having his lover ready and waiting directly before his mouth.

"Nice," he murmured huskily, nearly overcome at the scent and heat radiating from the silky flesh. Swallowing, Tommy ran his hands around Jason's hips, down the outside of the muscular thighs and back up again on the less hairy inside. Jason's breath caught as he looked down and saw the lusty gleam in the brown eyes; it took all his willpower not to reach for Tommy's head and plunge himself into the smiling mouth.

"Do it, Tom."

"Soon, Bro. Soon." Using just his fingertips, Tommy proceeded to probe and tease until he had brought Jason to a fever pitch of desire. Jason shuddered, and goosebumps appeared on the flat abdomen. Smiling to himself, Tommy closed his palm around the throbbing evidence of Jason's hunger and started to knead and stroke simultaneously.

Above him, Jason moaned deep in his throat, then spread his feet even wider – as much as possible for him to remain upright while providing Tommy with enough freedom to touch where and how he wanted. A light sheen of sweat broke out on his skin, and the temptation to stop the still-gentle seduction and just take over grew nearly irresistible.

As if sensing that Jason was teetering on the brink, Tommy intensified both the pressure and the tempo with which he manipulated Jason's body. He was breathing fast by now, and his hands were clenched on the edge of the kitchen cabinet. He shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position – not exactly easy on the tiled floor, but not even his aching knees were enough of a reason to stop. Not now, when he had his lover exactly where he wanted him!

"Look at me, Jase," Tommy requested roughly, not quite making it an order. He waited until the heavy-lidded dark eyes fastened on his own, then let his lips curve in a predatory smile. "You want me to use my mouth, don't you?"

"Yeah," Jason panted.

"And then you want me to make you come, right?"

"Y-yes …"

"Or do you want me to …?" Tommy recited a whole litany of things he might do to his lover in intimate detail.

"Whatever," Jason groaned. "Anything. Everything! Just – now!" He was yea-close to losing it at the sensual description of what Tommy might do to him, and fast reaching the point where he didn't care at all as long as Tommy made him reach orgasm _somehow_.

"So impatient," Tommy chuckled softly, but he was growing increasingly eager to rediscover his partner's taste and feel. Without further ado, he began to nuzzle, nibble and lick, listening avidly to Jason's steadily-increasing moans. His fingers didn't remain idle, either, and soon the strong thighs began to tremble.

"Watch me," Tommy commanded, and waited just long enough for Jason to focus on his mouth. Then he slowly closed his lips over incredibly soft skin. Jason shivered and moaned again, barely able to hold back. His constraint was rewarded when Tommy did his best to draw things out as long as possible, but when Jason pried one hand loose from the death grip he had on the countertop and touched Tommy's hair with fingers that visibly shook, he relented at last and began to pleasure him in earnest.

"Yesss," Jason hissed, torn between the desire to grab the bobbing head and race to climax and the pleasure Tommy's deliberately languid lovemaking was giving him. His very indecision made the choice for him, though – Tommy captured his wandering hand and placed it back onto the countertop's edge. The blazing brown eyes told Jason to stay immobile; he groaned in defeat and despite Tommy's earlier demand to watch threw back his head, let his lids drop shut and abandoned himself to sensation.

Tommy lavished every ounce of skill he'd gained in the last nine years on Jason's body, varying both the speed and the intensity of his ministrations, and was rewarded at last with a hoarse cry as his lover reached an explosive climax. With a last slow, gentle lick and kiss Tommy rose fluidly to his feet and drew his spent lover into his arms. Fine tremors raced up and down the naked body as Jason clung to him, and Tommy smiled, pleased that once more he'd been able to satisfy the man he loved so completely.

"God, that was awesome," Jason panted when he finally was able to speak again. "I love it when you do it like that."

"Same here," Tommy murmured, waiting for the dark head to lift so they could kiss. Jason's lips were soft when he offered his mouth, but he was still rather shaky on his feet when he was released at last. Jason nevertheless smiled and ran his fingers from Tommy's cheek down his chest to the noticeable bulge in his pants. He squeezed gently.

"Let me return the favor?"

Tommy's eyes gleamed at the suggestion, but to Jason's surprise he shook his head. "Actually … I think I'd like to wait."

Somewhat taken aback and definitely disappointed, Jason blinked. "Oh? Why?"

Tommy shrugged. "I dunno. I just feel like waiting." He grinned when his lover's face fell. "Don't worry, Bro; I'll get my pleasure from you tonight, I promise. Just not now."

"Okay," Jason said dubiously, but felt a fresh flutter of excitement deep in his belly. So Tommy had plans for 'tonight', did he? _-Interesting. Fascinating, even!- _"If you say so."

"Uh huh." Tommy bent and picked up the discarded shirt and Jason's shorts. He held them in one hand, speculatively eyeing the sculpted body before him as part of their conversation from earlier that day came back to him. _-Hmm. We're not on a tropical island, but it's still warm enough … Jase is pretty uninhibited, and there's no-one to see…-_ "Ah, what were you going to do before we got, um, distracted?"

Jason shrugged, a little mystified at the question. "Nothing much, why? The lawn needs watering and I suppose I could get out my own tools so I can lend the construction guys a hand tomorrow, but that's pretty much it."

The brown eyes started to glitter. "Good. In that case … you don't need these, do you?" He tossed both shirt and shorts onto a chair.

Jason's breath caught and his heart began to beat wildly. Tommy couldn't be thinking of what he _thought_ he was thinking, could he? "Not really," he replied slowly. "Why?"

"Because I want you good and ready … when I'm ready," Tommy answered and reached for Jason's arm, pulling him gently but firmly out of the kitchen. "Go do your yardwork."

"What, like _this_?" Jason indicated his nudity with a small, fleeting gesture.

"Oh yeah. _Exactly _like this." With quickly-masked satisfaction Tommy saw Jason's genitals fill and stretch again despite his recent orgasm as he gulped once, then nodded his compliance. His own unfulfilled desire made itself known, but he stifled the impulse. Restraint now would reap bigger benefits later. "I'll be on the porch, going over my research notes."

"Right." The deep voice was husky, but the look in the smoky midnight eyes was already turning into a lusty gleam. Which was exactly what Tommy was hoping for. With the lift of an eyebrow, Jason pointed to a pair of shoes in the corner, and Tommy nodded his assent; he wanted his lover hot and ready tonight, not sore-footed! He stayed to watch Jason slip the canvas shoes on his feet, then slowly followed Jason outside, admiring the rare and exciting view of his gloriously nude lover moving through the yard in the late-afternoon sun.

---

Night over Reefside found Jason on his knees, his arms braced against the foot of the bed while Tommy finally took his own pleasure of him. Shivering with lust, Jason exercised his inner muscles, laughing silently to himself when he heard the sharp intake of breath behind his back. It was a small triumph despite not being on top; part of what made their relationship so satisfying. He might be taking the submissive role now, but that didn't mean he had _no_ influence onwhat could be done to heighten their mutual pleasure. Strong, lean hands gripped his hips while Tommy fought for control.

"Easy, Bro. I don't want this to be over yet," Tommy panted, stilling all movement for a brief rest.

"Mmm." Jason's voice was a low rumble as he, too, caught his breath. A thorough loving like he was receiving right now felt too damn good to stop anytime soon; if Tommy could hold out, so could he! Consciously relaxing all his muscles, he reveled in the slow sweeps Tommy's hands were now making all over his back, flanks and buttocks, wishing he would stray lower and around to his rock-hard erection. But no …

Wiping his sweaty face against the bedspread, Jason let himself be carried along by the almost hypnotic passes over his heated skin. Now and then, Tommy got a little careless and his nails would leave a tiny, smarting welt in their wake – small wonder with the light sunburn he'd caught! They had both underestimated the power of the late-afternoon sun while Jason did his chores in the nude, and had mistakenly believed he wouldn't need sunscreen.

_-Well … can't complain, really. It's not that bad – I doubt I'll feel a thing, come tomorrow – and applying the after-sun lotion was the perfect way to get me to where I am now – making love with Tommy!- _

Getting a sunburned behind was a more than fair price to pay for the thrill it had been to parade his body before his lover, as far as Jason was concerned. He'd had no problem at all with being naked and outside to begin with, but what had made it so exciting was the knowledge that Tommy remained fully clothed – and unsatisfied – while he was watching him. Of course, Tommy had _tried _to work on his paper, but every time Jason looked back towards the porch or took a breather, he had found the glittering brown eyes focused intently on his body. An experiment or two – arching his back when he paused so his groin would jut outwards, or letting some water from his bottle trickle down his throat while drinking so it made his chest glisten – had proved that Tommy's concentration was on anything _but _his work. The smug satisfaction from that had been enough to keep Jason semi-aroused until dinner, and he had discovered yet another way to keep Tommy in much the same state – namely, to stop right by Tommy's chair whenever he needed to pass. Conveniently, his crotch had been at _just _the perfect height for another blowjob, but wickedly Jason had turned away every time his would-be tormentor was on the verge of reaching for him.

However, even the vaunted self-discipline of two high-class martial artists had limits. Despite his earlier hunger, dinner couldn't be over soon enough for Jason, so he'd all but wolfed down his chili and told his lover with a come-hither look that he was going to take a shower … and that Tommy was welcome to join him.

Tommy didn't need to be told twice.

Under the hot water, Jason had finally noticed his reddened skin, and a contrite Tommy had immediately offered to apply the ointment. Which ultimately had led them to where they were now – joined as intimately as possible, flesh to flesh.

"Ready for more?" Tommy murmured, licking sensually up Jason's spine.

"Always," Jason breathed, and hissed sharply when Tommy took him at his word and started again, slowly at first, but gaining speed with every thrust. He felt like he was on fire, both inside and out, and Jason arched up from the bed in sheer bliss. To his surprise, Tommy caught him around his chest, straightened and leaned back, letting Jason's own weight impale him even deeper as he drew him against his shoulders.

"Touch yourself, Jase," he requested, raw need in his voice. "I want to see you come while I'm inside of you."

Moaning, Jason complied. He let his head fall back into the crook of his lover's neck and reached towards the apex of his thighs. Instinctively, his hips jerked forward, and he slid a little off Tommy's lap as he fell into a familiar rhythm with both hands. Not wanting to lose even a fraction of an inch of the hardness filling him, he thrust backwards again, and trembled when the inner pressure increased. More carefully, he repeated the motion, with the same result.

"Ahh!" The needy cry made Tommy chuckle soundlessly, and he ran one hand upwards to pinch the brown nipples.

"That's it, Bro – ride me!" Not waiting for an answer, he quickly turned Jason's face towards him so he could plunder the gasping mouth before he returned to the small, stiff nubs on the broad chest.

Jason didn't have to be told twice. Abandoning himself completely to sensation, he started to move faster, rocking up and down while his hands became a blur of speed. Only at the last possible moment, when he could already feel the coiling in his lower body that indicated the onset of climax, did Tommy push him forward once more and took control again until they both reached orgasm within seconds of each other.

---

The next morning, Tommy couldn't help grinning when Jason winced slightly as he sat down for breakfast. "Sore?" he asked.

"Yeah – but not from what you did last night," Jason grumbled, albeit with a small, reminiscent grin of his own. "It's that stupid sunburn on my butt. My briefs chafe something awful."

"You can always take them off again," Tommy suggested blandly.

"What, and give the construction guys more of an eyeful that they bargained for? I think not," Jason snorted, amused and just a tiny bit thrilled.

"Well, I can always put more lotion on your backside." The oh-so-innocent offer didn't fool Jason for a second.

_-Not when he looks as if he's gonna eat me alive any minute!- _Not that he'd have any objection, but …

"Tonight. Maybe."

"I may just hold you to that, Bro," Tommy murmured, then shrugged sheepishly as the contractor's truck pulled up to the house. "Guess that's it for fun and games today," he sighed comically.

"At least as long as anyone's around, anyway," Jason agreed. Finishing his coffee in a couple of long gulps, he stood and started carrying dishes to the sink. "Come on, let's get this show on the road."

_To Be Continued …_


	20. Homecoming 4

**_Disclaimer: _**_Not mine, no money changing hands. -sigh-_

**_Note: _**_In response to the Live Journal PRSW22 challenge, themes #09, hallways, and #15, peace_

**_Note II: _**_A word to the unwary first: I know I said last chapter that this was to be the last part of a four-chapter arc, right? Well, sorry. My boys had other ideas, so the arc is now officially five chapters long. Hope you guys don't mind! _

**_Note III:_**_ That said, this went a little differently than I'd originally planned – all because of something Cmar (beta extraordinaire) said in her review of the last chapter. (So go blame her if you don't like it! Mwahahaha!) Seriously, though, I think the story turned out the better for getting me to think in another direction. __J Thanks a lot, lady! (And you can take that any way you like, my friend!) Enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 20: Homecoming Pt. 4**

The next few days passed uneventfully. During daytime, Jason was able to help out a lot with the building work because he'd gained enough experience working at his father's company on summer breaks, both as a teenager and college student. Tommy, who could deal with machines well enough but didn't know much about construction, provided extra brawn if necessary, but mainly kept everyone fed and the cooler well-stocked with drinks. Other than that, he took care of materials and in his free time prepared notes for his next research project.

During the nights, they often made love.

At the end of the second week, the outer walls of the extension were framed, the beams for the second floor fitted and the roof structure halfway done. On Monday, however, the building crew didn't show up at the usual time. A phone call to the contractor's office got them the information that a problem with the plans had unexpectedly cropped up and work would resume as quickly as possible. They thought nothing much of it; stuff _could_ happen, and they had more than enough time to be finished until school would start again in September. Instead, they made the most of their unexpected free time and spent Tuesday at the beach, the next hanging out with Tommy's last team who had arranged to meet in Reefside. They returned home late that evening to find a message from their contractor on their answering machine, requesting a meeting for the next morning.

"Huh. Any idea what he might want?" Tommy wondered as he sorted through the mail.

"Nope," Jason said, unconcerned, as he returned from the kitchen where he'd poured drinks for both. "But I guess he'll want to go over the new schedule with us – figuring in the delay, and stuff."

"Hm. He could've done that by email or on the phone, though."

"Yeah – but the guy must have his reasons. We'll know tomorrow."

"Right." Tommy left a message they'd be at the office at ten, then raised a questioning eyebrow at Jason, who handed him a glass of wine with an enigmatic smile.

"What's the Cheshire Cat grin for?"

Jason stared back innocently over the rim of his glass as he sipped the ruby liquid.

"Can't I smile at you because I feel like it?"

Tommy wasn't fooled by the angelic expression. "Sure, but I know that look. You've got something planned … haven't you?"

Jason laughed. "Shit, you busted me. Yes, actually I do."

"Oh? Like what?" Tommy swallowed some of his own wine, savoring the rich taste on his tongue.

His lover crossed the short distance between them and hooked his free hand around Tommy's neck, drawing his head down for a brief kiss. "How does getting you drunk, then having my wicked way with you sound?" he murmured against Tommy's lips. The dark eyes sparkled with promise.

"Pretty good," Tommy replied softly, feeling a familiar horde of butterflies start taking nosedives in his stomach. Whenever Jason adopted that particular tone, was in such a playful mood, he knew he could expect some spectacular sex. He grinned in anticipation. "How about we skip the getting drunk part, though? We don't need the hangover, and you know I'll do anything you want, sober or not."

"Works for me …"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Um … Santa?"

Tommy burst out laughing at Jason's cheeky answer and gripped his hand, tugging him towards the stairs. "Smartass. Come on then – let's unwrap our presents!"

---

Their good mood, created by a night of heated sex play and the mild aftereffects of a whole bottle of Jason's favorite burgundy they'd shared between them melted like snow in July the next morning, though. Their contractor, Mack Jones, looked rather harried as they entered the office.

"Dr. Oliver, Mr. Scott, I'm sorry I had to call you over." He ran both hands through his hair and sighed, then plunged directly ahead with his bad news. "There's a problem with the plans for your house."

"Why, what's wrong?" Jason asked, puzzled. He'd gone over the plans carefully, made sure that all the permits were in place, had even thoroughly checked the firm's references. All had been in order three weeks ago.

The builder sighed again, looking rather chagrined and angry.

"I told you that the plans were left with me a couple of years ago by another client whose house was practically identical in size, style and layout to yours and decided at the last minute not to use them?"

"Yes, and _we_ told you we didn't mind – it's exactly what we wanted," Tommy said, frowning. "We don't care that they were originally drawn up for someone else."

"Yeah, well, that's the problem. I showed you those plans in good faith – I honestly believed that they were mine to do with as I wanted. Last weekend, I happened to meet my former client's architect and mentioned in passing that I'd found a use for his old plans after all. He seemed kinda surprised, but didn't say a word until I had a call from his office on Monday." He drew a deep breath. "Long story short, the architect never formally released the plans for use by a third party. Turns out he'd been told that the plans got trashed and never was paid – so legally, they're still his. He demands I return them at once, even got an injunction that forbids me to build _anything _based on them without major alterations. If I don't comply, he's threatening me with a major lawsuit."

"Aw, hell. How long would it take to get the plans changed, then?" Tommy asked once he'd exchanged a dismayed glance with Jason and both had recovered from the initial shock. "And change _how_?"

"Well … different windows, a slightly different floor plan, that sort of thing – nothing _too _drastic from what you wanted originally," Jones replied. "Thing is, I've already called up a few people yesterday, and the earliest I could expect _anything _workable would be the end of August. Even so, it'd cost you an extra ten grand or so."

"Oh damn." Stunned, Jason fell back against his seat. He knew enough about the building trade to realize that the contractor's hands were tied, at least for the moment, and that the estimate of weeks before work could resume was fairly accurate. _-But dammit, we don't have weeks! What we do have is a house with the back wall ripped out, unfinished construction and a lot of money spent on material that we won't be able to use now, if ever!- _

"We can't afford the time it'll take to sort this out," he muttered numbly. "Or the extra money." Indeed, one of the reasons they'd chosen this particular company had been the ready-made plans. If they _had _to wait, search for a new contractor, they'd lose nearly all their funds – and would still be left for however long with a half-demolished house. With fall coming soon … he shook his head. "Shit."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But we're a small firm – what _we _can't afford is a major lawsuit and the damage it'd do to our reputation in the trade," the contractor said miserably.

"There must be _something _you can do," Tommy protested, trying to get over the shock. "You can't just let us sit there! Most of our back wall is missing, the house isn't watertight … and school starts in September. We won't be around during working hours!"

"I'm aware of that, Dr. Oliver. But as I said, I can't do a bloody thing about it right now."

"So you're just going to rip us off?" Tommy grated, getting angry now. "What's _that _gonna do to your reputation if I report that to the city's building commission? What if _we _took you to court for breach of contract?"

"I hope you wont. Quite frankly, I _know_ I'd lose either suit filed against me – but I don't have enough free cash to refund you in full or pay for the plans myself. If you force me to – and it _would _be within your rights – I'd have to sell assets, lay off crew … in other words, I'd go bankrupt. Which would _still _leave you with an unfinished job." Jones let his words sink in for a moment, then continued in a calmer voice. "Look, I know you're pissed at me; I'd be pissed at me too if I were you. Shit, I _am _pissed at myself – I should've checked whether the plans were mine to use, not just assumed they were."

"You're right, you should have," Jason interjected quietly, trying to mask his own anger and disappointment. "But that's neither here nor there now – we need to figure out what to do about this mess, and fast."

The contractor sighed. "Yeah. Gentlemen, I don't just want to take your money and run. You'll _have_ to find someone else, so what I'm suggesting is this – I'm only going to charge you for what I've actually spent on the build until now, to cover my own expenses – and I'll leave all the materials I've already bought at the site. Of course I'll return the rest of the money you've already given me." He named a sum. "That's exactly what your project has cost you so far, and I have the receipts to prove it."

Jason and Tommy looked at each other. That meant about half their money gone, construction halted for who knew how long, and a less-than-halfway finished build. What a bind!

"This sucks," Tommy complained.

"Understatement of the century, Tom," Jason murmured. He chewed his lip, thinking hard. How would the owner of Scott Construction have handled the situation? As fairly and sensibly as possible, especially for the client, that's how. _-Not that Dad would ever allow his business to get into such a mess to begin with!-_ "Mr. Jones – the house would have to be sealed against the weather as much as possible by your men. I'd also expect your company to store the materials, free of charge, secured against damage and theft, until we can use them. Plus, we get the materials at cost. If you agree to these terms, we _might_ be persuaded to consider not filing a lawsuit."

"Sure," Jones nodded after a brief hesitation. He was being let off lightly, and knew it. Tommy stared incredulously at Jason.

"Are you mad? We can so win this!"

"Yeah – after we've been tied up in court for ages, had to pay tons of legal fees and meanwhile the house would be left to rot away, unfinished. Never mind the hassle involved. Would you prefer _that_ just to prove we're right, or to cut our losses and try to find the quickest way to get the job done?"

There was no refuting that argument, and Tommy felt his righteous indignation slowly collapse before Jason's realistic assessment. "I hate to admit it, but you're right," he conceded reluctantly. "Okay – under those conditions, I agree not to file charges. Do we have a deal, Jones?"

"We do," the contractor agreed. He hated doing this to the two men who always had been pleasant to work with. "You're being more than fair; I appreciate your understanding. Thanks."

"Yeah, well – guess we should've asked a few more questions before we signed the contract. We're not entirely blameless," Jason shrugged resignedly and stood. "You don't happen to have a recommendation who could take over?"

Jones grinned a little sheepishly. "Afraid not." He shook hands with both men. "I'm not trying to be flip, but … try the regional Yellow Pages," he said as he escorted them to the car. "It's summer – high season for construction work. You'll just have to call around. But if I hear something, I'll send them you way, okay?"

"Sure."

Rather depressed, Jason and Tommy drove home in silence. Back at the house, they went into the yard and stared at what had been the back wall and now was nothing but a concrete slab with a skeleton of wooden struts and flapping tarp.

"Now what?" Tommy muttered despondently.

Jason inhaled deeply once, then squared his shoulders. "Now, we're going to brew some coffee – _lots _of coffee – and-"

"I'm feeling more the need for a stiff drink."

"Wait with that until we've racked up our phone bill," Jason advised wryly. "We're gonna need our wits about us. But I'll join you in getting drunk once we've scared up a new contractor."

"I'll hold you to that," Tommy sighed. "Come on, let's get started!"

---

However, by the end of the week they were no closer to solving their problem than they'd been after their talk with the contractor. The man hadn't been kidding when he said summer was the busiest time for the trade; all the good, reputable companies were either fully booked until late fall, or their prices were higher than the two could afford. And those companies who _were _both cheap enough or not busy … well, there usually was a good reason. The last thing they wanted was shoddy workmanship, or worse, damage to the Lair underneath the house. Trying to quell their rising panic, they started looking at construction companies further and further away from Reefside, with very little results, and were beginning to seriously contemplate taking out a loan, when the door bell rang one early afternoon in July.

"I'll get it," Tommy murmured. "Want some more coffee?"

"Please," Jason said distractedly, clicking on yet another link on the website he was currently checking. He didn't even turn when Tommy left the cramped erstwhile guestroom that now housed both their desks since the living area was all but inhabitable.

Clattering down the stairs, Tommy ran a hand through his hair and straightened his shirt; it just might be a student dropping by who wouldn't care about his casual shorts and tee, but just in case Mack Jones _had _found an available contractor, he wanted to make at least a halfway decent impression. He opened the door.

"Yes? What can I do f-"

The cheerfully polite greeting he'd been going for stuck in his throat when he found himself suddenly face-to-face with John Scott.

Both men froze. John's face, none too friendly to begin with, settled into a stony mask, and Tommy went pale with shock. He blinked once, hardly believing his eyes, but the stocky figure remained where he was – right on his doorstep.

"What the hell are _you _doing here?!?"

John met his eyes briefly, then pointedly looked past him into the hallway. "I have to talk to him."

Anger welled up in Tommy, as sudden as a tsunami and almost as powerful. With an enormous effort, he controlled his voice – and the impulse to hit Jason's father. _-Not that he doesn't have it coming for what he did to Jase!- _While it would go a long way to relieving Tommy's feelings toward the man, though, he doubted Jason would agree – and whatever John's unexpected visit meant, Tommy intended to make sure that Jason suffered no more pain.

"'Him' who?" he asked coldly.

John's jaw clenched. "My son," he grated out at last.

"When you can't even say his name?" Tommy sneered. "Yeah, right!"

The older man's dark eyes, so very like Jason's midnight depths, blazed with temper at the defiance he most certainly wasn't used to, but he just balled his fists at his side. "I've come to talk to h- … to Jason, then," he nearly spat. "Get out of the way!"

_-Fat chance, jerk!- _Instead of giving in to the peremptory demand, Tommy went outside onto the porch and drew the door almost shut behind him, forcing John to retreat a couple of steps.

"Give me one good reason why I should. Or for that matter, why Jase would even _want_ to talk with you!"

"I'm his father – I have every right to-" John never got to finish the sentence, because Tommy suddenly loomed over him, his expression one of barely-controlled fury.

"You have _no _right, to _anything_ whatsoever – not after the way you treated Jason four years ago, and your attitude towards him lately when his mother was so sick," he hissed. "Yes, you're his father, but you sure haven't been one! Do you have _any _idea what you've done to him by acting as if he didn't exist anymore? How much pain you've caused your_ son_?" Tommy paused for a moment, but John was too stunned by being put on the defensive so unexpectedly to come forth with an answer. "Didn't think so," Tommy laughed humorlessly. "Well, you've hurt him enough – and I'll be damned if I let you hurt him again. Not on my property, not in my house and not as long as I'm alive to protect him from more pain!"

Fleetingly, Tommy was grateful Jason couldn't overhear this last remark; he'd be the first to remind him that he didn't need protection of any kind. _-Doesn't matter. It's what I do. Same as he'd do for me.- _Besides, it was _their _house, _their _property now; while it had long been understood between them that what was one's also belonged to the other, they'd only just formalized things before the building work had begun. After all, Jason was paying for the bulk of the remodeling costs, had been contributing his even share of taxes and such ever since he moved in – it had been the fair, the _right _thing to do. _-But John doesn't need to know that.-_

Feeling decidedly off-balance by the younger man's ferocity, the elder Scott choked down a heated reply. He hadn't come to pick a fight. A muscle in his cheek twitched, but he managed to swallow his pride far enough to provide an acceptable explanation.

"I have a message from his mother for Jason." To his credit, he didn't hesitate to use his son's name this time. "That's all I'm here for. Nothing more."

Tommy drew a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. He would've liked nothing better than to send John Scott back where he came from without letting him fulfill his errand, but a message from Helen was something else. If he truly wanted to protect Jason, he didn't dare risk destroying the fragile connection he'd only just reforged with his mother.

"Okay," he said grudgingly, opening the door and gesturing John inside, towards the living area. Half the furniture was covered in dust sheets, the other pushed into corners every which way; not a very welcoming environment, but he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, John _wasn't _welcome in their house! "Wait here," he muttered. "I'll see whether Jason agrees to see you." He paused to glare at the older man. "If only for his, and your wife's sake. But I swear to God, if you say one single word to Jase that causes him any more pain, you're gonna have to answer to me – and it won't be pretty!" Without another word, he turned and went back upstairs to their shared office, leaving Jason's father standing in the middle of the once-cozy room.

-

John watched Tommy go with mixed feelings. On one hand, he was seriously pissed about the way he'd been treated – who did this punk think he was, to be so disrespectful – even threatening him? But on the other, he felt a grudging respect for him, too, as he unwillingly remembered how his son and his best friend had always stood up for each other ever since they'd met. He even used to like Tommy; where and when had that changed? _'The day Jason chose him over you,' _a small voice in his mind said, but John impatiently brushed the insidious reminder aside.

_'Admit it, John – if Jason were our daughter, we'd be happy and proud if he'd fallen in love with a man like Tommy!' _Helen's words were still ringing in his ears, days after she'd hurled them at him during one of their increasingly frequent arguments, but John still wasn't able to agree. Jason was a man, not a woman! What in blazes made him choose another guy, and not a nice, pretty girl like that Emily he'd dated in his senior year? Or Trini, or Kimberly?

He didn't understand. And despite his wife's pleas to at least try, he wasn't sure he ever wanted to.

Shaking his head as if to clear cobwebs from his brain, John looked around. His builder's mind instantly catalogued and assessed the original layout of the room, as well as the alterations done to it so far. It was obvious to someone with his experience in construction that some major remodeling was going on – and that work had been interrupted for quite some time. Briefly, he wondered why; from the new foundation and what little of the farming had been completed, it looked like a fairly straightforward enlargement.

_-Makes sense if they need separate offices; by the look of it, this is your standard two-bedroom, one-bath farmhouse-style family home. They'll probably want two more rooms and an extra bath …- _

But he wasn't here to speculate on Jason's living arrangements – especially not with Tommy! Determinedly, John turned away from the construction site to wait for his son, not even acknowledging to himself that in his mind he'd begun to reposition walls, alter layouts and contemplate materials.

-

Jason looked up from the notes he was scribbling as Tommy quietly entered the room, his hands empty. "What, no coffee?"

"I, um, forgot; sorry," Tommy murmured. Jason blinked as the unexpectedly serious tone in his lover's voice registered.

"Now there's something new," he said with a half-smile, "but why now?"

When Tommy didn't react to the small teasing jab, just fiddled with some stuff on his desk and wouldn't really look at him, Jason narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Don't tell me we got even _more _bad news!"

Tommy shrugged. "Not really," he mumbled. "Unless … it kinda depends."

"Depends on what?" Still no answer. Exasperated, Jason stood and crossed the room. Gripping Tommy's arm, he shook him lightly. "Whatever it is, just spill it, Bro. Things _can't _get much worse than they already are."

"Wanna bet?" The remark slipped out before Tommy realized it, and he bit his lip. "Uh …"

"Tommy, stop beating around the bush. Whatever it is that's got you in such a dither, it won't get better by sweeping it under the carpet." Jason grinned fleetingly. "Besides, you're making me spout every cliché in the book, and I hate doing that. What's wrong?" His tone might be teasing, but it was clear that he wouldn't rest until he learned the truth. Tommy sighed.

"It's … you have a visitor. Downstairs."

Jason shook his head. "Why didn't you say so right away instead of all this hemming and hawing? It's not as if whoever it is has interrupted us at an, erm, inconvenient moment. Who is it, anyway?"

Halfway to the door already, Jason looked back over his shoulder at his uncharacteristically tense partner. "Are you gonna tell me, or is it supposed to be a surprise?"

"It's a surprise all right," Tommy muttered, then drew a deep breath, knowing that he couldn't delay any longer. Jason _would _have to deal with this situation, one way or another. "Jase … it's your father."

"What?" Stopping dead in his tracks, Jason paled. "Dad? What's _he_ doing here?"

"He wouldn't say. Only that he wants to talk with you; something about a message from your mother."

Jason gulped down his immediate panic reaction and remained silent for almost a full minute, his mind in an uproar. Helen had phoned just this morning from the rehab clinic to give him her number and her treatment schedule; why would she send his father over with the same information? Belatedly, he remembered that Tommy had been out grocery shopping when the call came and that there hadn't been an opportunity to tell him yet. _-No wonder he looks so worried – he's probably afraid for me, bless him!-_ "Okay," he whispered at last, "I'll go see him." Squaring his shoulders, he sought the concerned brown eyes and attempted to smile. It came out weaker than he'd hoped. "Don't look at me like that, Tom," he murmured. "I'll be fine."

_-I should've known Jase wouldn't refuse the opportunity to talk to John at last,- _Tommy realized. _-Even if there's a chance he might get hurt again.- _"Just don't let him get to you too much," was all he said, voice soft. "I'll be right here; call if you need me."

"Will do."

---

On his way downstairs, another thought occurred to Jason. _-What if Dad doesn't know about Mom's call? Possible, I guess …- _Only one way to find out. Bracing himself inwardly against whatever awaited him, Jason took a minute to watch his father from behind as he stopped in the doorway.

John looked much as he remembered him – still vigorous and strong despite his age as he stared out the window. He hadn't yet noticed Jason's arrival, but as soon as he did, he visibly stiffened before he slowly faced his son.

The temptation to make the first move was near irresistible, but a perverse, strangely satisfying feeling of superiority made Jason stay silent. For once, they were meeting on _his _ground, in _his _home, and that fact gave him a confidence he hadn't had before. John could neither kick him out or send him away – and that felt damn good! So Jason just inclined his head briefly in both greeting and question, crossed his arms loosely and waited for his father to speak.

It was hard for John to look at Jason; harder even to meet the steady dark eyes which regarded him so seriously. Try as he might, he could read nothing in his son's stance or expression that might help him gauge his mood. Suppressing the urge to fidget, he returned the coolly assessing glance.

As the two men faced each other, neither saying a word, Jason was suddenly reminded of dozens of similar situations during his childhood and early adolescence. Whenever he'd broken a rule – gotten into playground fights, inadvertently hurt someone because he couldn't yet control his strength or clashed with some bully at school who had been picking on Billy, Kimberly or Trini – until karate had taught him discipline and age had brought maturity, he'd had to endure a _lot _of staring matches like this until the suspense made him regret he'd ever gotten into trouble. Then, it had mostly been his mother who had managed to turn him into a squirming blob of guilt and remorse by letting him stew; John's style ran more to shouting, banging doors and thumping tables, but Jason had known that whenever his father did fall silent, he'd been in the deepest shit imaginable.

He hid an involuntary smile. Now the tables were turned, and he couldn't help but enjoy the situation a tiny bit. _-Hope you like having a taste of your own medicine, Dad!-_

At last, John cleared his throat. He drew a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Jason. "Your mother wanted you to have this."

When Jason just nodded, but made no move to accept the note, John awkwardly placed it onto a nearby chair. "She's at the rehab clinic now. It's, ah, it's her room number, phone extension and schedule in case you want to contact her."

_-But I already have that information,- _Jason thought, more than slightly bewildered._ -Is that Mom's way of forcing Dad to contact me?-_ He wouldn't put it past her; it seemed the only logical explanation, but – _-Even if that's the case, why would he drive all the way up from Angel Grove to give it to me in person?- _

"You could've mailed it," Jason said quietly, his voice wary. He couldn't help the sudden surge of hope that his father's visit meant something other, something _more _than just an errand on Helen's behalf, but he did not dare give in to it. _-Guess I've finally been burned once too often.-_

"Yeah, well …" John shrugged and glanced away, but Jason still noticed something that might have been a blush on the lined, ruddy cheeks. However, when John looked at him again, his face seemed unchanged and his mouth was once more set in stern lines. "Anyway, you have it now. That's all."

Jason felt himself blanch with disappointment as hope died once more. Smiling tiredly, he nodded. "In that case, thank you."

Grunting noncommittally, John sidled past him, but stopped unexpectedly when he reached the hallway. Clenching both hands into fists, he shook his head once, then turned around.

"Just answer me one question," he grated, glaring fiercely.

"If I can," Jason replied slowly, a flash of insight, or maybe premonition, telling him what that question would be. He wasn't wrong.

"Why?"

Jason couldn't help it, his own temper got the best of him.

"_Now _you expect me to explain? I've been waiting four fucking _years_ to hear that word, Dad; why should I do it today?"

He didn't wait for a reply; despite the long wait, or maybe because of it, he felt compelled to answer.

"Never mind," he snorted, controlling himself with an effort. "I'm guessing what you really want to know is, why another man? Or why Tommy?"

John _did _color up then, acknowledging at last the truth he'd avoided so long. "Either. Both."

There were a million reasons Jason could give, but there was one answer that encompassed them all. He didn't realize, but his eyes softened and his voice dropped into its deepest register as he gave it.

"I love him."

His father stared back at him, disbelief clearly written on his face. "That's all?"

"It's everything," Jason replied quietly. "Everything that matters."

John shook his head. "But he's a _guy_! I don't get it – how, or why …" He spread his hands in a helpless gesture, all but inviting further comment.

_-You really should've asked me all that four years ago, Dad.- _For a few seconds, Jason was tempted to just walk out, like John had done to him. However, he was not his father. John _was_ asking the questions, incredibly late and not in a very sensitive or even receptive way, yes, but for the first time ever he was making at least a token effort. If only for that, he deserved an answer.

Sighing, Jason ran a hand through his hair. Where to start? _-Why not at the beginning …- _He drew a deep breath.

"Remember my sophomore year in high school? That's when Tommy moved to Angel Grove." Barely waiting for John's nod, he continued. "We … clicked … right from Day One, almost. I've never before or since become friends with anybody so fast. What was more, Tommy's friendship gave me something I hadn't found with anybody else – not with Billy or Zack, not with Kim and Trini. We were like two halves of a whole; we … completed each other, I guess. Sure, there was a period when not everything went smoothly-" Briefly, Jason reflected back on the power struggles between him and Tommy which Rita had so often tried to exploit, "-but once we really got to know each other, we became incredibly close. Like the brother neither one of us had."

"I remember," John murmured. He recalled feeling pleased that his only son had found such a friend; if he'd known then what would become of this friendship, though … his train of thought was derailed as Jason went on, no longer caught up in the memory.

"Over time, I came to care about him more and more; not just as my best friend, but simply for who he was and what he meant to me. Which was fine and dandy until I realized one day that my feelings were changing into … well … something other than fraternal." He paused, giving his father a brief, rather sheepish smile. "You have _no _idea how much that threw me at first. I mean, I _knew_ I liked girls. Trust me, I've done my share of sneaking glimpses at _Playboy _and so on in the locker room, complete with fantasies and wet dreams – the works. Hell, Tommy and I used to fantasize over girls _together _often enough!"

Jason chuckled as he saw the vaguely relieved look he couldn't hide fast enough in his father's eyes even as John squirmed; he wasn't used to hear his son talk so frankly about sexual matters. "Anyway, the Peace Conference seemed a good way to get away for some time and sort myself out. Get over these weird feelings I'd developed for my best friend, y'know? Only, things didn't work out that way. I never got over them; instead, I found out in Geneva that it wasn't just Tommy – that I could be attracted to guys in general. As well as girls." He sighed. "Luckily, we had a counselor who helped me come to terms with being bisexual; if it hadn't been for her …"

A shrug. Then, "I came home and realized running away had solved nothing. I was right back where I'd started; I would finally have to deal with it somehow. The one thing I feared most was to lose Tommy as my friend if I couldn't get over the way I felt about him. By then, he and Kim had broken up and his relationship with Kat was taking off. And I found Emily, which helped. But when Em and I didn't work out, my feelings for him returned. By then I'd decided, though, that nothing would ever come of it, and thought if I just kept looking, I'd find someone else eventually." Jason noticed the covert glance his father sent his way, interpreted it correctly, and grinned wryly.

"Don't ask. Yeah, I was kinda waiting for the right _girl _to come along. Another thing that didn't go the way I'd planned … anyway, one day I told Tommy I was bi, because I didn't want to keep something this essential from my best friend – and that kind of backfired on me. He didn't let it faze him at all, was all sympathy and compassion, and _that's _when I realized that I was still in love with him. I hadn't planned to tell him, ever, but … there was a time, almost ten years ago, when Tommy needed to know someone cared, and I finally admitted to him how I felt. Tommy was totally floored at first, but once he got over the shock …"

As it never failed to do, the memory of that rainy spring night in 2004 made Jason smile. Almost the end of his answer, he inhaled deeply. "Everything changed that night. Tommy said he loved me back. Fully, and unconditionally, the way I loved – _still _love– him. Tommy, my best friend and almost-brother, _loved_ me."

Midnight-dark eyes met John's stunned gaze with serene certainty. "That was the day I stopped looking for that elusive 'someone', because I knew then I'd already found the person who completed me, in ways no other friend or lover ever had. It simply didn't matter that it was another man – it was _Tommy_. I've never looked back."

---

John listened to the long explanation with mixed feelings. A part of him was analyzing Jason's words, heard the truth and was quietly pleased that his son was secure enough within himself to love where he wanted, to live his life the way he chose. And yet another part, rooted in his strict upbringing, his age and the way _he _saw the world insisted that it couldn't be true, that this was not the son he'd tried to raise … that everything Jason had tried to tell him was nothing but illusion, a dream.

_-A nightmare, more likely!- _

"It's unnatural," he muttered stubbornly under his breath, letting the unyielding, stern part of him rule once more.

Jason's mouth twisted in a slightly bitter smile. He'd dreaded such a reaction, but refused to let the fresh hurt incapacitate him.

"Funny you should say that," he murmured. "I happen to think that my relationship with Tommy – friendship and affection that grew into love – is the most natural thing in the world."

"It's the _kind _of love you say you have that isn't right!"

"To me – no, to _us _– it's the only kind. There _is _no right or wrong in the way we feel about each other."

"So what you're saying is that you care more about him than about us, your parents?" John asked grimly.

Jason's breath caught and he flinched, as if he'd just received a blow to his stomach. In a way, he had. Still, he _wouldn't _flinch from the truth.

"I already told Mom – I love you both. _And _I love Tommy. Differently, but just as much. Nothing's gonna change that, ever. If you can't accept that, I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, John stared unblinkingly at his son. "Then there's nothing left to say, is there?"

"I guess not." Pain surged once more, only to give way to anger and desperation. He'd laid his heart bare, giving his father the explanation _he'd _finally asked for, and to what use? _-None. He can't, or maybe won't, understand,- _Jason observed sadly as the wall of silence John had thrown up four years ago returned with a vengeance. All he could do was watch his father take one last, faintly disdainful look around their half-demolished home before he turned and started walking towards the front door.

However, hope wouldn't die. _-Is there no way I can make him reconsider? What else can I possibly say that will make Dad stay? All I need is one last chance, a common ground for us to reconnect – only what is there?- _His mind racing, Jason looked around, seeing everything and nothing until some subliminal instinct showed him the one thing that just might work for another second, another minute ... he latched onto it as if to a lifeline, the one area he knew John would reply to honestly and without reservation.

"Can I ask you one question before you leave?" Hopefully, that hadn't sounded as desperate as he felt!

His hand already on the door handle, John glanced back warily. He didn't really want to linger, but couldn't bring himself to ignore Jason, either. Not after he'd driven all the way to Reefside for …what? Answers? Well, he'd already got one, even if it though it wasn't what he'd wanted to hear. Besides, it would be too rude. "What about?" There, that should do; short, impersonal and to the point.

Jason gestured behind him with an apologetic shrug. "I was just wondering … as you can see, we're remodeling; our contractor had to pull out unexpectedly, and we can't seem to find someone else to take over. You don't happen to be able to recommend someone, do you?"

_-Oh. That I can deal with.- _John refused to admit even to himself that a deeply-buried part of him _had _hoped for something else – maybe Jason begging him to stay, to reconsider his position. _-Not that I would!- _He also couldn't decide whether to be proud or disappointed when that plea never came. -_Oh, what the hell. Just think of him as another customer.- _Letting go of the door, he slowly returned to where they'd stood earlier. "What happened?" he asked matter-of-factly, taking refuge in professionalism.

Trying not to show his relief, Jason gave him a brief rundown on why the house was in such a shambles. "Tommy and I are getting kind of desperate. We've decided to take out a mortgage if we must in case there's no way round hiring an architect, but we need a contractor first."

John nodded. "I see." He hesitated briefly, then came to a decision. "You still have those plans? And the permits?"

"The permits, yes. Of the plans, just copies without specs."

"That should do. I'll need to take a look."

Jason swallowed his surprise. This wasn't quite what he'd had in mind, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Sure. Give me a minute, I'll get them from my desk upstairs."

"Just hurry up; I don't have all day," John said gruffly, and Jason had to grin involuntarily. He'd heard that remark hundreds of times as a child whenever he'd been told not to dawdle on his way to being chauffeured someplace by John. As then, he instantly obeyed.

---

Up in their temporary office, Tommy looked up expectantly when Jason came back in. "Well? Is he gone?"

"Not yet; he's asked to see the building plans," Jason murmured, rummaging through the folder with all the documentation.

"Huh? What for?"

Jason glanced at Tommy, his face a study in sheepishness. "I, uh, I asked Dad if he could recommend another contractor," he admitted.

"You did _what_?!?"

Having found what he was looking for, Jason dropped the folder back onto his desk and faced his lover. "Dadis in the trade, remember?"

"Yes, but – after everything he did to you? Don't tell me you had a big reconciliation in the last fifteen minutes and now everything is violins and roses!"

"It's not," Jason sighed, perching on the edge of his desk. Tommy deserved an explanation; John would just have to wait. "In fact, he was just about to leave when I asked him." Briefly, he summarized what had transpired between him and his father, to which Tommy listened with growing anger.

"So he's just as much of a pigheaded jerk as ever," he growled, shaking his head. "You must be out of your mind to trust him!"

Jason stared at his feet for a long minute before he met the stormy brown eyes. "Tom … Dad has always been active in the California Builders' Association; if _he_ can't help us, nobody can. He knows people, he can point us in the right direction at least … and he never let it matter whether he liked a client or not. I'm banking on his professional pride that he can at least treat me like he would any other person in this." The low voice spoke calmly enough, but to someone who knew Jason as well as Tommy, the underlying note of sad resignation was unmistakable.

"I'm sorry," Tommy whispered into the short dark hair as he went over to draw Jason into a comforting hug. "I'm just so damned angry at your dad, for showing up out of the blue, for hurting you, for disappointing you _again_ today … I don't know if I can ever forgive him. And I really don't understand how _you_ can get past all the shit he dumped on you!"

"He's my father," Jason said simply, letting the warmth of Tommy's arms soothe some of his undeniably bruised feelings. "I trust him … as a professional, anyway."

"And as your dad?"

He swallowed. "I … I'd like to think I can," he murmured. "If it were a matter of life and death, maybe … I think he'd be there for me."

"Bro, just because _you're _so disgustingly noble at times doesn't mean _he'd _be the same if it concerned you," Tommy sighed, thinking of how John had rejected Jason so recently when it had been a life-and-death matter for Helen. But he refrained from mentioning it; Jason probably could do without the reminder.

"I know. But Tom … is it so wrong that I want to take what little I can get for once?"

"N-no," Tommy conceded grudgingly.

"Besides, you know as well as I do that we're up shit creek without a paddle. We need _someone_ to help, and why not him?"

Tommy could have mentioned any number of reasons why not, among them the little fact that _he_ didn't want John Scott involved in anything to do with their home. However, he couldn't afford not to consider two things – first, they _did _need help, fast, and second, Jason _didn't _need extra aggravation from him. For that alone, he kept every unkind thought about John to himself, no matter how well-deserved they might be.

"I just don't like him being around," he muttered, then kissed Jason lightly on the lips. "But even I know I'm being unreasonable. Go ahead, show him the plans; if your dad can help us out by unearthing a builder, I may possibly forget he's a jerk in another century or so."

"Thanks, Bro."

"Don't thank me. I still don't trust your father not to screw us over – but I do trust _you_," he cut off Jason's protest with a slight smile. "If you say he'll do right, then it's okay with me."

Jason smiled, touched his forehead briefly to Tommy's cheek and picked up his folder. "Right. Back in a minute."

---

"As you can see, we want the living room slightly larger so we can use a divider or something to screen off the desks, another bedroom and bath above it and put down a deck outside," Jason explained to his father as they went over the plans. "All the building materials are kept at our previous contractor's place; we just need to alter the layout and the outward appearance to make it different enough so that the architect is satisfied."

John nodded slowly. "Hmm, yeah. Shouldn't be too hard, especially as your permits allow some leeway."

"That's a relief – but who could do it? We need to have it finished by September, when school starts," Jason asked, keeping his demeanor as business-like as he could. It was hard, but at the same time easier than he'd expected; while he never had been inclined to join his father's business, he hadenjoyed the planning process whenever John had poured over a new design at home. And when that design had been for a future house for Jason, they had truly bonded as adults, not just father and son. Jason stifled a nostalgic sigh; _that _was unlikely to come to pass now. Well, as long as they both stayed out of any emotional minefields, they should be able to remain neutrally polite.

John straightened from the kitchen table where they'd spread the drawings. His mind was churning with ideas – this was the kind of project he loved doing – but he hid it well. "There's someone I know who might do; he's just started his own company and won't be completely booked yet."

"Is he good enough to do the job, though?"

"Yes. A former apprentice who used to work for me until recently."

"That's recommendation enough," Jason said sincerely. Every man trained by his father and who stayed on his workforce for any length of time was more than competent, and hopefully a new business owner would cut them a small deal on the cost. "Do you have his number on you?"

"No. I'll pass on yours; if he's willing to take the job, he can call you back." Jason attempted to thank him, but John only shrugged, said his good-byes and left without a backwards glance. Sighing, Jason rolled up the plans once more and went to report to Tommy.

-

On Friday morning, the phone rang. Jason picked it up along with the coffee pot on his way to the front porch where Tommy was waiting with breakfast. "Scott-Oliver residence."

_"Jason Scott?"_

"Speaking."

_ "It's Paul Rosicky; I used to work for Scott Construction …"_

Jason's slightly puzzled expression cleared as he connected the name with a face. "Oh, right – second crew chief on the Bertini build back in 2007, right?" He'd helped out a few times on those weekends when he wasn't seeing Tommy and several employees at once had fallen ill that year and had gotten to know the man. He'd be a great replacement for Mack Jones if they could come to an agreement.

_ "Yup, that's me. John said to call you about some remodeling project?"_

"Uh huh." Briefly, he outlined what needed to be done. "Could you do the work?"

_ "I'd have to take a look myself; are you home tonight? I can get off early and be in Reefside by seven."_

Tommy nodded vigorously – the phone was on speaker – and so Jason agreed, quickly giving their address and directions. They had planned to go to a movie, but this was more important; a simple call would change their ticket reservations to the next day. "See you tonight, Paul."

_"Right. Seeya."_

"God, I hope this works out," Tommy remarked as he poured coffee for both of them. "We've lost two weeks already."

"Yeah. But Paul is a good guy; from what I remember, he's fast, efficient and very good. No wonder he's struck out on his own."

-

Shortly after seven, a truck pulled up at the house and a forty-something man in jeans, work boots and a tight shirt climbed out. He grinned at Jason and Tommy and after perfunctory handshakes clapped his hands once.

"Okay, folks, show me the way. It's a long drive back, and if I decide I can do this, I'd like to get started as soon as possible."

"That's music in our ears," Tommy laughed, immediately liking Rosicky's easy manner. "Come on, let me give you the fifty-cent tour."

An hour later, the three men sat at the kitchen table, sandwiches and cold drinks at hand. Paul had taken endless measurements and notes and was now drawing on a legal pad with quick pencil strokes. "See here – if we make the living room L-shaped, you get extra room for storage or whatever. It'll also take the bathroom out of the new bedroom, giving you more space upstairs, _and _do as a windbreak for your terrace. Better yet, since we have to run the plumbing through this wall anyway, why not add a downstairs toilet?"

"Sounds good," Jason said, impressed. "But wouldn't the new wall still look much the same from outside? The exterior needs to be altered, too."

"If we replace the French windows with sliding glass doors, it _will_ look different enough, trust me. Plus, you'd open up the whole back wall of your living room, giving you a great view of the forest."

"Well, yeah, but that's hardly in keeping with the style of rest of the house," Tommy frowned.

Rosicky waved his concern aside. "It'll be fine once the cladding is painted to match. How about we forget about the awning and add some kind of roof over the terrace for extra shade? With some kind of pillars to support it, like this –" A new sheet, more drawing, and the two could see where the contractor was heading. "You'll hardly see a difference."

"I like it," Jason said at last. "Great ideas, Paul."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed. "But what about the windows and other material in storage? We already paid for that …"

"Not a problem. I'll take your stuff, use it for another build and check the cost against what I need to buy new. Should come out to the same amount more or less."

It seemed almost too perfect to be true. Even the financial aspect was working out without sending them too deep into debt, as Paul planned to specialize in property development, considered the work a perfect transition job from pure construction and was offering to cut them a deal if they agreed to let him use pictures of the finished job in his portfolio. Jason and Tommy exchanged a long glance, then made their decision.

"Okay, as far as we're concerned you can have the job. Now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question, though – will you _take_ it?"

Rosicky grinned and leaned back in his chair, clearly pleased. "Is the Pope Catholic? I've been dying to get my hands on a project like this since I started. – Now, it'll be too expensive to house a full crew so far away from my base in Angel Grove, but if you could get me a few high school kids for grunt work? I'll obviously use specialists for electrics, plastering and so on, but for such a tight schedule, I'm mainly gonna need more brawn."

Jason shrugged. "Shouldn't be too difficult."

"Yeah," Tommy replied. "Not all of our students have summer jobs; we can make a few calls. How soon would you need them?"

"How does a week from Monday sound to you?"

"Perfect," Jason exclaimed, feeling relief wash over him. The sooner they got started, the better. "We can help, too; you know I used to work with Dad during school breaks."

For the first time, Rosicky faltered. "Um, well … actually, I'd prefer it if you didn't," he muttered. "No offense, Jason, I know you can find your way around a construction site, but … in my mind, you're still the boss's son, and …" He trailed off, coloring slightly with what looked like embarrassment.

Tommy grinned, understanding the man's dilemma. "And you don't want someone looking over your shoulder, huh? Not that we'd report on you back to anyone, but I know exactly how you feel. The first time I had to set up a lab project all by myself as a grad student, I couldn't _wait_ for the professor to leave so I could blow up a few test tubes without instant critique!"

Paul nodded. "Exactly. I'll try to stay away from the blowing up bit, but _would _you mind leaving me to it? The kids'll breathe easier too, without their teachers around."

A little disappointed, Jason nodded. "Sure." He'd been looking forward to being involved in the build, to see the changes to their house as they happened. But considering that Tommy wasn't quite as enthusiastic on working construction, he ultimately was sympathetic to the rather reasonable request. What was more, since he already knew and trusted the man, it would be okay to leave him alone on their property. _-Seems it was worth it to get a recommendation from Dad, despite Tommy's reservations!- _So Jason did the only thing he could, which wasto accept the situation gracefully.

"Mmm. How long would you need, Paul?"

"Three weeks, a month at most. Depends on how fast I can get those sliding doors delivered."

Jason raised an eyebrow at Tommy. "Camping trip?"

Several weeks alone together, hiking, fishing, being out in the wilds and sharing a tent, compared to noise, dust, a crew of strangers underfoot all day and lots of hard work? A no-brainer if there ever was one. Two pairs of brown eyes began to sparkle, and both Tommy and Jason started to grin.

"You've got a deal," Tommy murmured, tearing himself with difficulty away from sudden images of Jason's hands and mouth on him under a canopy of trees and/or stars. "What about a contract?"

"I'll draw one up and bring it for you to sign on Monday morning," Rosicky promised, repeating the terms they'd agreed on one more time before packing up his notes. "Thanks for dinner – I'll see you next week!" Five minutes later, he was gone, and the two men breathed a sigh of profound relief. Things were _finally _looking up again!

---

"Last day today," Jason commented idly as they hiked up into the mountains.

"Uh huh. It'll be good to go home again." Tommy smiled and handed Jason the water bottle.

"Yeah." Gulping down the still-cool liquid, Jason wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and slid the now-empty bottle into the clip at his belt. "I don't know about you, but it was kinda weird _having _to take this vacation."

"I know what you mean." Tommy grunted and heaved himself up a small ledge; this path was a little more strenuous than they'd reckoned with. "I mean, it's been fun and all – almost like our first year, remember? When I wasn't comfortable about staying at your or my place?"

"Oh yeah. Never quite got why, but man, was I glad when you came to your senses," Jason laughed, following his lover. "But you're right, it didfeel similar."

"Mm. Anyway, I guess it's one thing to go camping because we _want _to, but another because someone told us to. I tell you, Bro, I was relieved when Paul called last night, saying he'll be done day after tomorrow."

"Me, too. I can't wait to see what he's done."

"Yeah. I just hope it wasn't a mistake to basically give him _carte blanche_ about altering the plans if he wants to."

"Hey, what can he realistically do? Make a wall a foot shorter or longer, but not much else," Jason waved Tommy's concern aside. "I'm sure it'll be fine; I would've said something if I hadn't known him and trusted him to do a good job."

"Right." Tommy still sounded slightly worried, but Jason gave him a friendly cuff on the arm.

"Relax. It'll be okay," he repeated, then changed the subject back to their imminent return. "I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to sleeping in a motel tomorrow night!"

"Mmm. You mean, having real beds, a bathroom right next door and breakfast in the lobby? Me, too!"

The two grinned at each other. They liked camping out, but over the years had learned to appreciate the creature comforts of proper beds, clean bed linens, hot showers in the morning and breakfasts that didn't consist of PBJ sandwiches and instant coffee. Some of the campgrounds had inns with restaurants close by, but as they'd opted to go for the National Parks in Northern California and Utah, the facilities were fairly basic more often than not at most sites. It was going to be a long drive home, but one overnight stay should be enough.

They climbed steadily up, following a lesser-traveled route to a plateau from where they hoped to have a good view of the valley below. As the path grew steeper, they stopped talking, saving their breath for the exercise. At last, the path widened and took a right turn. Following the bend, the men walked a few yards until they came to a lonely pine tree, stopping under the meager shade it provided.

"I gotta say one thing, Bro," Tommy puffed. "It's been a long time since we've been this fit!"

"The pitfalls of good living," Jason chuckled, shrugging out of his backpack. "Well, at least we've both lost a little weight." A faint flutter teased his insides as he pictured Tommy's once-more well-defined washboard abs. He knew that his own torso looked nearly as sculpted as when he'd been at college after three weeks of outdoor living and daily exertion, and that Tommy very much appreciated the re-transformation. _-It's not that we've grown fat, but … we simply don't have to stay in fighting trim anymore, and if we're not careful, it shows. Also, maybe we like our after-dinner wine a little too much.- _He smiled ruefully, then shook off thoughts of the inevitable changes growing older brought and turned his attention towards the spectacular scenery.

"Wow."

"Yeah," Tommy murmured, gripping the rail guarding the platform. "I hadn't expected the view to be this clear. That mountain range over there _has _to be at least a hundred miles off!"

The sheer majesty of the landscape, the clear air and silence made them fall silent, and for a while Jason and Tommy lost themselves in the beauty around them. As a bank of clouds chased across the sky, though, momentarily dimming the brilliance of the day, Jason managed to shake off the spell nature had cast over them.

"I'm gonna take some pictures," he said quietly. "That gorge over there … if the zoom works right and I can catch the perfect angle, we could have a print blown up and hang it on the wall." Tommy just nodded, his attention still fixed on the horizon. Jason usually found solace in sitting on a beach and watching the waves roll in; for Tommy, it was the harsh landscape and challenge of the mountains that refreshed his spirit, and he didn't want to lose a single second.

---

When he returned, his camera loaded with some hopefully spectacular shots, Jason noticed that Tommy was no longer quite as enraptured as he'd been before. He'd moved from the edge of the path back into what little shadow there was, his eyes following a bird of prey soaring regally through the clear sky. Jason smiled to himself as he packed the camera; Tommy was half-perched against the mossy rock, legs casually spread for balance, and he'd unbuttoned his shirt halfway to his navel to let the light breeze cool his skin. Except for his now-short hair, he very much resembled the boy who once had brought Jason into the foothills near Angel Grove, to introduce his best friend to his brother and great-uncle who lived on the Reservation there. And as always, thinking of David, Sam and the Reservation brought back the memory of the first time they'd had full intercourse.

Briefly, Jason mourned the disappearance of the long chestnut locks; it would be such a pleasure to bury his hands in them when he buried himself in Tommy's eager mouth, or to have them trail across his own skin while his lover licked his way down his spine! He swallowed a small moan as he felt himself twitch inadvertently. This was hardly the place to think of sex; they'd brought no lube, and there was barely room to stand, much less lie down. Once they returned to their tent, though … _-Just wait 'til we get back, Bro; then all bets are off!-_

Hoisting himself up to sit on a rocky ledge next to Tommy, Jason told his overactive libido to take a break until a better time, undid his own shirt and started munching on an apple while he waited for his lover to come out of his reverie. When he finally did, there still was a faraway look in the chocolate eyes.

"Man, whenever I see a raptor fly like that, I miss the Falcon," Tommy murmured.

"You think that was a falcon?"

"No – the wing shape was different. Some kind of hawk, I think."

Jason handed Tommy the second apple he'd brought and opened the remaining bottle of water to wash the rest of his own fruit down. He drank half of it, passed it to Tommy and while Tommy finished it off, caught another glimpse of the hawk, winging away into the forest. "You know … of all the Powers you held and I didn't, I really envy you the Ninja Powers," he mused. "From what you and the others told me, they must've been awesome."

"They were," Tommy agreed. "Really special. Mainly because they drew on something _within _us, not just some external source."

"Was that why you had the extra suits?"

"Uh huh. They didn't shield us like our regular uniforms and helmets could, but enhanced other abilities. We just used the Power Coins to manifest, or maybe harness would be a better word, whatever Ninjor saw in us."

"Cool." It seemed as if Jason was about to say more, but decided against it. Instead, he looked out over the valley, his expression turning wistful, and Tommy placed a hand on his knee. He had an inkling what had caused the sudden mood shift, and for once was just feeling mellow enough to talk about it; because he still felt guilty for losing the Ninjazords to Rito Revolto, he generally shied away from discussing that period of his Ranger career.

"What's on your mind, Jase?"

Jason sighed. "Nothing much, really … it's just, I've sometimes wondered what kind of spirit animal I would've had, had I still been on the team," he admitted softly, then grinned fleetingly. "You know, whether I'd gotten a cool animal, like you or Billy, or something more, um … exotic."

Tommy nodded, understanding. There _had_ been a few surprises, what with Adam getting the Frog and Aisha the Bear, but he felt confident enough to make a guess at Jason's. "I can't be sure, of course, but knowing you as I do … I'd say either an eagle, or a lion," he murmured. "King of all animals, bird of kings – each represents a different aspect of who and what you are, but either would've suited you." He smiled gently when Jason blushed at the inherent praise. "Trust me, they do!"

"You're just saying that because you love me," Jason protested half-heartedly, but his eyes glowed with gratitude and pleasure.

"Nope. I'm saying that because I happen to believe it's true."

"Tom …" More than a little choked up, Jason slipped an arm around the lean shoulders and bent forwards to kiss Tommy. "Thanks," he whispered against the warm lips before covering them with his own. Tommy's mouth opened willingly to the questing tongue, and Jason deepened the kiss, saying without words what he could not express otherwise.

It was one of those perfect moments that some couples experience from time to time, where they were seemingly the only people in the world; both men lost themselves in the tender exchange, breathing in each other's scent, tasting each other's flesh, giving and receiving love.

Tommy's tongue dancing with his drove out all awareness of their surroundings; the heady sensation was so intense yet gentle that Jason couldn't help himself – his free hand wandered to Tommy's neck, drawing him closer, then slowly slipped inside the open shirt. His fingers skimmed across the sharp collarbone, circled the hollow at the base of his throat and gradually inched lower to the smooth, hairless chest. He could feel his lover's mouth curve against his in a slight smile, traced it with the tip of his tongue and saw the brown eyes close as he delved once more into the moist heat. Jason let his own lids drift shut, relying on his other senses to gauge what Tommy liked and wanted. There were faint ripples on the bronzed skin as he brushed his hand down the flat stomach, the familiar scent of Tommy's aftershave grew more pronounced as he eased off momentarily to nip at the clinging lips, and the soft hiss and moan coming from Tommy's throat told him his instinct was dead on as he once more wandered upwards and across one sensitive nipple which instantly swelled and puckered at the teasing touch.

Without breaking their kiss, Tommy turned slightly and threaded his arms around Jason's waist; the ledge he was sitting on gave Jason a small height advantage for once, and he found himself in the perfect position to start his own exploration of the muscular body. Like Jason, he kept his touch gentle and undemanding, but despite that he could feel himself harden. A quick brush across his lover's groin proved that Jason was as affected by the situation as he was. Tommy couldn't help another low, pleased moan when Jason slowly slid to his feet, directly into his arms, and their bodies touched chest to chest.

That agile tongue which often could drive him mad with lust with just the tiniest lick withdrew from his mouth at last.

"We're out in the open," Jason murmured against the moist, eager lips even as he pressed his cloth-covered erection against Tommy's and carefully pinched and rolled one nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"I know. Don't care," Tommy whispered back, shuddering at the not-pain on his chest and eased his hand into the waistband of Jason's jeans to cup the tight buttocks. "Do you?"

"Not now, no." Jason was already hunting for Tommy's belt buckle and soon had freed the button. Punctuating each word with more kisses and licks, he took hold of the zipper tab and pulled. "No supplies, though."

"So what? We used to be able to do without," Tommy smiled while holding Jason in position against him with one arm and opening the straining fly with the other.

"So we did." Smiling himself, Jason pushed the now-open pants down, past Tommy's buttcheeks, and began to work on his briefs. Soon, they were bunched at the underswell of the tight ass he loved so much, exposing Tommy's desire. Barely a minute later, he found himself in much the same state.

Jason shivered as a faint breeze teased his swollen erection, but forgot all about it when experienced fingers wrapped themselves around his flesh. "Mmm." He, too, filled his palm with a silk-skinned column and stroked once carefully.

"Aw, man." Tommy moaned and copied the motion, making his lover squirm excitedly in his grasp. Resting his behind against the sun-warmed rock for stability, he stole another kiss, then rested his forehead against Jason's, looking down between their bodies, to where they held each other side by side. Jason's eyes were fixed on the same place, and soon they were pumping each other in perfect sync. For once, there was no rush to completion, no urgent coaxing the other into a frenzy of lust – instead, the two men kept it slow and gentle, lost to everything but the sensations their skilled hands and the occasional brushing of skin against skin evoked. Jason slipped his free hand around Tommy's neck to make sure he kept watching, murmuring soft words of encouragement and love as both started to breathe more heavily and their chests began to glisten with a light sheen of sweat.

Needing more, Tommy wrapped his left arm around Jason's waist, drawing his hips close enough so that their groins touched and their genitals were pressed tightly together. Shifting, Jason smoothly aligned himself with Tommy and loosened his hold so that he could caress both lengths simultaneously. He was rewarded with a breathless chuckle when Tommy made room for the large, warm hand and slid his own lower to help matters along.

"Oh yeah …" Smiling, Jason glanced briefly up into the brown eyes so near his own. The intent look in them was as arousing as what their hands were doing, and he redoubled his efforts, stroking a little harder and faster.

"God, yes," Tommy hissed, intensifying his own efforts. "Finish it, Jase," he begged/commanded roughly at last, pulling him even closer. "Make us … ohhhhh!" With a shuddering moan, Tommy fell over the edge and climaxed, spilling his essence over the busily-pumping fingers. The added slickness was exactly what Jason needed and he came barely a minute after his lover, his ecstatic groan swallowed by a greedy mouth.

Giddy and sated, they could not help but laugh with delight as the last spasms subsided and they managed to catch their breaths. Suddenly, a loud rustle from somewhere quite close startled them out of their post-orgasmic lassitude. They froze, eyes snapping open in alarm. Tense, Tommy slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder, fully expecting a tourist, or worse a forest ranger, to have caught them _in flagrante_. Thankfully, they were still alone – and finally he detected a couple of chipmunks sitting only a couple of feet away, their bright, beady eyes focused alertly on the two men.

"Bro, I think we had an audience," Tommy chuckled softly, guiding Jason's initially wary glance to the side where the small animals sat. One was busily washing its paws, but the other tilted its head as if it wanted to say 'are you done yet?'. The dark eyes widened, then crinkled in amusement as Jason relaxed, satisfied that the chipmunks were the _only _observers they'd had.

"Looks like it," he murmured back, grinning slightly. "Think we gave Chip 'n' Dale here a good enough show?"

"Could be. Hey, maybe we, uh, inspired the little guys!"

"Either that, or a couple of lady chipmunks will be _very_ happy tonight," Jason chuckled.

They watched as the tiny creatures scampered away at last, then shared another kiss before easing reluctantly apart to order their clothing.

"This is gonna itch like hell on the way back," Jason remarked ruefully as he wiped his sticky palm on his briefs before tugging them back into place, then fastened his jeans. "What's worse, we can't even shower together at the campground."

"Uh huh. Worth it, though – wasn't it?"

"Hell, yeah."

Tommy buttoned up his shirt and tucked it into his pants. "I wish I could leave this off, but I'd rather sweat than get sunburned," he grumbled, only half-seriously. "And our tent really isn't big enough for one of your massages – or rather, what they usually lead to," he added with a small leer.

"I didn't hear you complaining the last time."

"I'd never complain about anything you'd want to do with me, Bro," Tommy said warmly and drew his lover into his arms for one last, deep kiss. "To be continued at the motel tomorrow night," he promised huskily.

"I'll hold you to that," Jason murmured back, then gave him a playful shove. "Now behave, or we'll never make it back. In case you've forgotten, it's a three-hour hike – and the downhill path is steeper than uphill, if we really want to explore the valley."

At that moment, excited voices could be heard around the bend they'd turned earlier, and a couple of pre-teen boys skidded to a halt only a few yards away. "Mom, Dad, come on!" one of them shouted excitedly. "It looks awesome from up here!" Almost immediately, a couple of about Jason and Tommy's age appeared on the plateau, a pretty teenage girl in tow. The mother sent an apologetic glance towards the two men before reining in her excited offspring.

Jason and Tommy just smiled and nodded, collected their packs and sidled past the family, oblivious to the wistful sigh the teenager sent after them. Once they were out of earshot, Jason quirked a wry grin at his lover.

"That was close. If they'd arrived just five minutes sooner …"

"… the chipmunks wouldn't have been the only ones to have got an eyeful," Tommy finished. "I know, and yeah, it was stupid to start something on a public path. But I'm not sorry we did," he said.

"Neither am I," Jason soothed. "Just let's make _sure_ next time not to have another close call like this, okay?"

"Next time?" Tommy inquired, his voice suddenly hoarse as they carefully picked their way down the less-well-prepared path. He gasped when Jason drew him under an overhang and kissed him soundly.

"Yes, next time," he confirmed, midnight eyes sparkling. "After all, if I can use toys on you when we're having sex, then I can deal with doing it kinda in public. Your kink isn't any better or worse than mine. Same rules, though – not every time, and only as long as we're _both _comfortable with what the other wants to do. So if we do get to have an audience, let's keep it to chipmunks and the like, please. Okay?"

"More than okay. Thanks, Jase."

"Love you, too, Tom. Now come on, let's get down this heap of rock and back to civilization."

"Right behind you, Bro." His inflection must've alerted Jason to the fact that Tommy wasn't just referring to the order in which they did their descent; at the plainly questioning look Jason gave him, Tommy laughed and shrugged. "Hey, just enjoying the view," he said innocently, then spoiled the effect by admitting, "So I like watching your ass move. Sue me. Imagining what I'm gonna do with it tomorrow night beats admiring the landscape any day."

Groaning and laughing, Jason shook his head and started to walk again, not dignifying that claim with a comment. _-It's gonna be nothing compared to what I'm gonna do to your ass tonight, Bro – and I'll prove that the tent is big enough for anything, too!-_

_To Be Continued …_


	21. Homecoming 5

_**Disclaimer: **__Not mine, not getting paid._

_**Note: **__In response to the PRSW22 challenge on Live Journal; themes #09, hallways and #15, peace. – Guess what? I'm __finally__ done with this. Whew! I never meant to drag it out so long, but as the story developed in the writing, more and more issues cropped up that needed resolving before I can move on. Sorry! Also, my apologies for taking so long to update, but Eric and Wes got in the way, as well as my vacation at the beginning of this month; hope the extra length makes up for it! – Again, thanks go to Cmar for betaing parts of it. Enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out? _

More Than Friends And Brothers

Chapter 21: Homecoming, Pt. 5

They arrived back in Reefside during late afternoon two days later, relaxed, tanned and bursting with curiosity.

"It looks great," Jason commented as he swept his gaze over the freshly-painted house. "I was a bit skeptical about the color, but I'm glad we didn't go for something brighter."

"It's not that different from before, but yeah," Tommy agreed. "I kinda liked the way it was, but you were right, it _does _look better."

"Told you so," Jason grinned, bounding out of the car. Rosicky and a couple of his men were in the process of loading the last of their tools into a van, and he came over to hand back the keys they'd left with him.

"We just finished the last wall an hour ago," the contractor grinned. "I bet you're dying to see what we've done on the inside. Go have a look; as soon as I'm done here, I'll come in and explain everything."

"Sure. Thanks, Paul!"

Leaving their camping gear in the trunk for now, Jason and Tommy entered the house and went past the kitchen, towards the living area – only to stop dead in their tracks. They'd expected a modest enlargement of their living room, with a wooden deck outside. What they found, however, was very different – and far more.

To their left, a perfect open-plan office big enough for two was now separated from the rest of the room by a waist-high wall, a double-sided wooden bookshelf on top providing additional privacy as well as shielding the entrance to the Dino Lair from view. The original wood paneling was still intact;only the kitchen wall had been opened up by inserting a thick, smoky glass panel between the countertops and the hanging cupboards. What used to be their living room was now shorter, ended in two shallow steps and was laid with gleaming wooden floorboards. It would make a perfect dining area. The new lower level was covered with flagstone-effect slate tiles that stretched past the wide fold-back glass doors that would open up the whole wall to the back yard. A sleek modern fireplace had been built onto the left wall, their flat-screen TV hung above it, and in the far corner of the now L-shaped, double-height room a winding staircase made out of brushed steel and dark wood led to the second floor of the extension, onto a narrow mezzanine lined with built-in bookshelves. They could see a couple of doors up there, presumably to the new bedroom and bath above the office/kitchen, and on one wall new radiators resembling metal sculptures were prominently displayed instead of hidden in unobtrusive corners. They matched both the stairs and the fireplace. Gone was the slightly rustic look; their living room now presented itself as a stylish loft-like bachelor pad, yet the colors and materials were blended skillfully with the slightly worn leather sofas and coffee table.

It was stunning, it was grand – and totally _not _what they'd commissioned.

"What is this, some fucking home makeover show?" Tommy blurted once he got over his shock, trying to take in everything at once. He walked forward until he stood in the middle of the large room, turned and looked at Jason who was still rooted to the spot as he, too, glanced around. He seemed every bit as surprised as Tommy – however, Tommy _hadn't_expected him to be quite so obviously shell-shocked. "Jase?"

Jason visibly shook himself and slowly went to join his lover. It took a visible effort for him to speak, and when he managed at last, the deep voice was unsteady. "Not a home makeover show, Tom – it's the house Dad designed for me when I graduated from college."

"What?!?"

Jason's eyes were suspiciously bright in a face that alternately paled and flushed. "Dad asked me once what kind of home I'd like to have one day, then drew up plans based on my dreams." He swallowed, his voice husky with emotion. "It's all there, Tommy – the split-level living room, open-plan kitchen/dining area, the divided office space, the slate floor, the brushed steel, the mezzanine … everything. And I bet that the upstairs bedroom has a walk-in shower, a dressing area, room for a big double bed – just the way Dad and I designed it together!"

Tommy listened silently to Jason, watched him wander around the room as he pointed out detail after detail. He didn't know what, or how to feel. One part of him was glad that his lover had attained his dream house; as far as he was concerned, Jason deserved a home every bit as grand as the Collins mansion. But another, insidious little voice in his mind was sulkily – and nastily – reminding him that Jason hadn't received this generous gift from _him_. No, it had been John Scott who had made that dream come true; the same man who had turned his back on his son because he'd dared to choose Tommy over his father, who hadn't said one civil word to him until barely a month ago, and even then only because Jason's mother had asked him to!

What was even worse, Tommy couldn't even say whether he _liked _the changes to what until recently had been _his _home, _his _achievement. Yes, he'd made room for Jason and done it gladly, hadn't hesitated to make them co-owners when it became obvious that some changes needed to be made and Jason insisted on paying for them. But they'd decided_together _on what form these changes should take, and to have someone step in and alter that form without even a 'by your leave', someone Tommy only ever thought about in terms of dislike and anger … that was nigh unbearable.

_-How __dare__ John go over our heads like that? This is __not__ what we wanted! If he were here right now, I'd tell him to take his fucking building expertise and craftsmanship and money and whatever else he's stuffed down our throats and tell him to shove it where the sun don't shine!-_

The rational part of his mind dryly informed Tommy that that was hardly possible; as gifts went, this one wasn't returnable unless they decided to abandon the house altogether and move out. _'And be honest, that'd be the absolute dumbest thing you could do. You'd be biting off your nose to spite your face!'_

Fuming silently, Tommy had to concede the point, but perversely felt even worse because of it. His anger at Jason's father rose up afresh, fueled further by the changes made to the house without their knowledge or consent. His own preference in furnishings was more traditional, and while he didn't mind accommodating Jason's taste, this was just too much at once. He wanted to hate the alterations as much as he hated John Scott … and yet couldn't bring himself to do so. Their home_was _spectacular now, perfectly suited to their needs, and even through his churning emotions Tommy could see how they'd be able to combine his vintage belongings with Jason's more contemporary ones into a beautiful, pleasing whole.

_-Jase has had so much shit dumped on him lately, he's __earned__ a good turn … and he's over the moon about this, that his __father__ has done it, for whatever twisted reason. If I tell Jase I hate it, would prefer to rip it all out and start over … he wouldn't understand, would be hurt. And I can't do that to him. Ever.-_

Luckily, Paul Rosicky's entry saved him from having to comment right now; the man_had _done a great job, on time, too, and knew it, to judge by his ear-splitting grin.

"Well? What do you guys think?"

Jason looked at him with a rather dazed expression. "I … I'm speechless," he admitted. "You did a great job, Paul – thanks!"

Seeing that the contractor was looking at him expectantly, Tommy forced himself to smile and nod. "Yeah, it's … spectacular."

"So you like the changes?"

"Who wouldn't?" Jason murmured, still rather awed.

Tommy wasn't at all sure he did. "Whatever possessed you to alter the plans we agreed on to such a degree?" he asked, just managing to keep his tone light and fairly neutral.

Rosicky shrugged, his expression growing a tad sheepish. "Yeah, well … I was at the glazer's to look at windows when I ran into your father, Jason," he explained. "John seemed pleased that I'd taken the job, asked a few general questions about how I was planning to do it, then came by my office a couple of days later and showed me the designs for this." His gesture encompassed the whole remodeled section. "I tried to tell him that your budget hardly ran up to what his design demanded, and that we were on a very tight schedule as well, but he said not to worry – then talked me through all the changes andproved that I _could_ do it by using a few … well, tricks here and there. Like, the floorboards? They _look _like oak, but are actually from some fast-growing tropical hardwood, stained and sanded to resemble oak – and the quality sure beats the laminate you'd chosen."

"Don't tell me all this didn't cost an arm and a leg," Tommy said rather sharply, but to his surprise, Rosicky shook his head.

"Nope. You gave me an additional $3,500 to cover unforeseen expenses, right? Well, thanks to John's help, his expertise and contacts to suppliers, the total came in at a little over $3,600 – I felt you wouldn't mind that little bit extra."

"We don't," Jason assured the builder, coming over and laying a hand on Tommy's arm. "We know that nothing ever comes in exactly to the cent, and only a hundred-plus is excellent, right, Bro?"

Tommy was in no mood to be pacified. "Just how involved was John in the build?"

"Aside from giving me the plans and showing me the ropes? Not at all, except for getting the permits in order, overseeing the kids you rounded up and teaching them to use power tools without cutting off their fingers, or worse. He _did _show up two or three times each week, sure, but that was all."

"Dad project-managed?" Jason wondered, feeling his heart beat faster. Was this the first sign that his father might finally be coming to terms with his choice – or more, that he was beginning to accept it? The thought was even more exciting than coming home to such a great surprise.

"Sorta. I'd rather call it advising," Rosicky smiled. "After all, he was redrawing his original design to fit your house pretty much as we went along; anyone with less experience than John couldn't have done it in a year of Sundays. And it was great that he could keep an eye on your students."

"And of course there was nothing in it for you, right?"

The contractor raised an eyebrow at Tommy's almost-sneered question, but shrugged it off. "Didn't say there wasn't. John said if I managed to pull it off, changes and all, he'd consider going into partnership with me. Since the monster attacks stopped hitting Angel Grove a few years ago and moved elsewhere along with the Power Rangers, most commercial properties that got damaged are now rebuilt, and people are starting to do home improvements again. There'll be enough work for builders for years,so working both construction and remodeling makes perfect sense. We're negotiating terms."

Both Tommy and Jason nearly flinched guiltily. During their time as Rangers they'd done their best to keep any Zord fights away from residential areas, but hadn't always succeeded. At least they'd managed to keep casualties to a minimum; property could be repaired or rebuilt, as Rosicky's words proved. Before Tommy could react to what he considered a kickback, however, Paul changed the subject back to their house.

"You're hardly interested in my business, though, right? – Let me give you a quick run-through of the technical stuff, and I'll be off." He did just that, explaining the heaters, motorized shutters and the security system; half an hour later, he left, promising to send them the final bill as soon as everything was tallied up. Jason and Tommy watched him drive off, then Tommy fished the car keys out of his pocket.

"I'll start unpacking," he muttered, pointedly not looking at Jason. "We've got tons of laundry."

Puzzled and a little hurt by his lack of enthusiasm, Jason nevertheless agreed. "Sure. I'll put the gear back into the shed. Want me to order in for dinner?"

"Whatever." Quickly, before he lost control of his still seething and conflicting emotions, Tommy unlocked the trunk and heaved out all four bags they'd packed, then disappeared back into the house. Shrugging, putting it down to surprise at both the unexpected grandeur and his father's involvement, Jason dealt with the tent, sleeping bags and the rest of their camping paraphernalia.

---

Having eaten, Tommy refused to linger over coffee or a drink as was their usual wont and immediately started cleaning up the kitchen, waving off Jason's offer to help. "Go see whether there's _anything _the way we wanted it to be," he suggested curtly and turned to load the dishwasher. Thus he didn't see his lover's confused look when Jason stayed a few moments to watch him handle plates and cutlery with uncharacteristic vehemence. Deciding that he'd give Tommy a little time to get over whatever was bugging him and talk later, Jason did just that, going back into the spacious living room that seemed strangely empty now.

_-We'll have to rearrange the furniture,- _he mused, smiling to himself at how enthusiastic he felt about the prospect. _-Or maybe even buy some new stuff as soon as we can afford to.- _But that would have to wait for another day; they could do with what they had for the time being. Opening half of the folding doors, he let the warm summer evening envelope him as he stepped outside and walked into the yard, wanting to see how everything looked from the back fence. Once there, he noted that the addition blended seamlessly with the rest of the house. Rosicky had skillfully integrated everything by using reclaimed wood; thus the new siding was virtually indistinguishable from the original weathered boards, both now painted a uniform light gray. Even the narrow white pillars supporting the new sun roof at the edge of the slate-tiled terrace fit perfectly with the white trim around windows and doors. He said as much to Tommy when he finally joined him in the garden.

"It'll be great to sit out there, don't you think? Especially with the terrace now roofed over; I like that a lot better than if we'd gone for a traditional awning. Now we can have the doors open even if it's raining."

"That's about the only thing that's remained from what Rosicky told us he'd do," Tommy grumbled, still not over his anger at seeing the house changed so dramatically – and at John Scott's involvement. "What the hell was he thinking, changing so much _and_ using your father's design?"

"I'm sure he thought he was doing us a favor," Jason soothed, "especially when Dad could tell him in good conscience that this was exactly what I wanted."

"How about what_I _want?" The question came out much more sharply than Tommy intended, and he winced inwardly. It wasn't Jason's fault that his father had decided to meddle uninvited in their lives, but … he still resented the mere fact that he was beholden to John Scott now. He flushed uncomfortably when Jason stared at him with honest bewilderment.

"What's got you in such a twist, Bro? Don't you like it?"

Tommy drew a deep breath and rubbed his neck. "I'd like it better if this hadn't come so totally out of left field," he muttered, telling only half of the truth.

"Well, yeah. To be honest, I'd have preferred some advance warning myself," Jason smiled. "I nearly unhinged my jaw, it dropped so hard. But all things considered, I think Paul has done a terrific job blending the old with the new – and that it's a great deal like I wanted my future house to look like is just a bonus. Don't get me wrong, I liked things the way they were, except for the lack of space, but now our home really feels as if we've _both_ put our stamp on it, not as if you've just made room for me somehow."

That particular observation hit a little too close to home for Tommy – mainly because that was precisely what they'd done. The only things Jason had brought from his old apartment were his personal belongings and his office furniture; most of the rest had gone to thrift shops or was stashed away because they didn't need it. It had made sense at the time since Tommy's house was fully equipped with everything they needed, but instead of calming him down, it made him even more irrationally angry. "When have I _ever _made you feel like that?!?"

"Never, but that doesn't mean that I haven't _wanted _to have a little more of 'me' in the house," Jason murmured. "Look, I know you've been floored by the whole thing; so have I. I never expected Dad to take more of a hand in the remodeling beyond recommending a contractor to us, but … " He paused and gave Tommy a beseeching look, then softly asked the question Tommy had seen coming … and dreaded. "Is it so wrong for me to hope that Dad just_might_ be reaching out?"

"Jase, you've done the same thing when your mother was sick and you went to Angel Grove," Tommy sighed. "You can't have forgotten how _that_turned out. Haven't you had your hopes dashed enough? Your father has treated you little better than dirt since you told him about us; what makes you think he changed his mind all of a sudden just because construction work was involved? This partnership with Paul will only make him a lot of profit, especially once they put the pictures the guy took into their advertising portfolio!"

"No," Jason protested immediately. "Dad wouldn't do that – he neveradvertises with stuff he's done for family!"

"Yeah, right – like you've been so much 'family' for him these past four years! Even if this _is_ supposed to be some kind of olive branch or whatever, how can you even _think _of accepting it after what he's done to you – to us?!? "

Jason went very still. He hadn't expected this reaction from Tommy at all; hadn't realized how deep his resentment ran. He knew that most of it was on_his _behalf and stemmed from Tommy's protective streak, which could be every bit as strong as his own, but he had honestly thought that if/when a chance at reconciliation was offered at last by his father, he'd support him in reaching back. That Tommy didn't, or maybe wouldn't, do so … hurt. He lowered his head to hide his dismay.

"Because he _is_my father, Tom," he whispered. "Dad rejected me, yes. But I never rejected _him_. I couldn't – not then, not now."

"That's what I can't understand," Tommy said vehemently. "Can't you see that your father may just be manipulating you, trying to … to buy you back with something he _knows _you've always wanted?"

"He wouldn't do that – and no, I can't," Jason denied, then shook his head, a sad and bitter smile forming around his mouth. "The only thing I_can _see is that you're letting some kind of prejudice get in the way. Granted, you have reason to mistrust Dad's motives; hell, we both have – but how about trusting _me_? My judgment, my knowledge of my father's character? What about that?"

"It wasn't so accurate when we came out, was it?" Tommy replied without thinking, then winced when Jason recoiled and blanched.

"You're right, it wasn't," Jason said hoarsely. "No wonder you believe I'd let myself be manipulated, or that I couldbe bought."

Tommy flinched; that wasn't what he'd meant at all! He'd only been trying to make sense of his jumbled emotions, but even in his current state of agitation it was easy to see how that might be misconstrued. _-Bro, you should know better!- _But before he could explain, Jason raised a hand in a warding-off gesture.

"Don't. Let's not say something either of us will regret afterwards." Stormy midnight eyes bore into Tommy's, but when he met only defiance and anger, Jason's shoulders slumped. "I can't talk about this now." With that he turned, walking off into the gathering darkness.

"Jase, wait!"

But the hand Tommy stretched out to hold his lover back fell back to his side without reaching its target; he couldn't tell whether he'd been just a fraction too slow or if Jason had deliberately moved out of the way before he could touch him. Neither mattered now. Stunned at the unexpected turn of events, Tommy stood helplessly as Jason disappeared into the forest beyond the yard.

---

After an hour or so, Jason returned, looking rather subdued. He hated being at odds with Tommy, and had left mainly to avoid letting things escalate into a real fight. He'd needed time by himself to acknowledge and accept Tommy's right to be angry … and most of all, to examine his _own_reactions to what his father had done with Rosicky's help. Tommy's unthinking accusation that perhaps he was letting himself be bought had stung more than he cared to admit, but after some serious thinking Jason could honestly say that he wasn'tbeing swayed by the generosity of the gift. _-I'd be just as ready to give Dad the benefit of the doubt if he'd done nothing more than send Paul our way and made sure he did a good job.-_

It just wasn't in Jason's nature to hold a grudge, no matter how much someone had hurt him; his sometimes quick temper notwithstanding, he always was ready to forgive if he saw genuine regret in the person who'd done him wrong originally. _-Tommy should __know__ that much about me.-_

To be fair, he probably did – but at the moment, Jason believed that Tommy was too angry to see clearly. _-Small wonder, really – when Dad turned his back on me, he was also inherently rejecting Tommy, and that's something he's always had problems dealing with. Just look at how long it took him to be friends with Kimberly again!- _

However, this was a problem better left for another day; what was important now was that they resolved the tension between them. Jason knew he might not be able to reconcile his lover completely to his father's actions, but they could at least clear the air between themselves.

The downstairs was already dark except for a small light in the hallway, so Jason shut and locked the glass doors, set the button to lower the automated blinds and slowly went upstairs to their old bedroom.

Tommy was already in bed, holding an open book on his stomach. Neither said a word while Jason stripped and slipped under the cover beside him, feeling the brown eyes follow his every move. For a minute, he was tempted to let matters lie, but the air between them was thick with emotion; Jason_knew _that he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink if he didn't try to diffuse the situation. So he rolled towards the middle, propped his head into his hand and fleetingly touched the leanly-muscled chest with the other.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

With a sigh, Tommy closed the book he hadn't been reading anyway and put it on the nightstand, together with his glasses. Only then did he shift towards his lover and returned the gesture. "Me, too. I'm just so pissed at your father, and the way he's been meddling … I shouldn't have taken it out on you, though."

Jason briefly closed his eyes, then gazed earnestly at Tommy. "What would you have me do, Tom? Ignore what Dad did for us? I can't do that – and it doesn't matter whether I think it's a great idea or whether it _was_intended as some kind of bribe. At the very least, I'll have to thank him – you know as well as I do that without his intervention we'd probably still be searching for a contractor," he murmured.

"Hmm, yeah," Tommy conceded reluctantly. "But what then? Are you just gonna pretend the last four years, or the crap he pulled when your mom was in hospital, didn't happen?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Jason admitted. "I guess it depends on how things go when I contact him." He started tracing the pattern on the bedspread with one finger, avoiding Tommy's eyes. "Believe me, you're not the only one who's got a problem with Dad's actions. He's hurt me pretty badly … shit, his attitude has caused a lot of pain to _both_ of us. But what if letting Paul work off his design for me is his way to make amends, or at least a first step towards a reconciliation of some kind? If it is, how can I throw that back into his face?" He sighed, daring to look up at last. The genuine concern he could read in Tommy's expression despite his not-unreasonable reservations gave Jason the courage to voice his own insecurities. "I … I wish I could decide how I feel about this. If I only knew whyDad involved himself with the renovation at all!"

"Are you going to ask him?"

"I don't know that yet either."

Tommy pondered the guarded response for a moment, then shook his head. "Even if your dad wants to make up, why pick such an underhanded way of going about it? He really should've come to you first, asked if it was okay, not just waltzed in and taken over," he grumbled. "How can you possibly bring yourself to forgive him for all the shit he put you through?"

The dark eyes meeting his were very serious. "IfI decide I _can_, it won't be all that hard."

"Just like that, all easy-like?" Tommy asked incredulously.

"Easy? How can you even _think_ it'll be easy for me to forgive?" Jason replied, struggling not to raise his voice. "Tom, you were _there_ – you know all about the shit I went through. I dragged youwith me every step of the way! It's gonna be one of the hardest things I'll ever do, but I can't _not _forgive him, either!" Breathing heavily, Jason fought to compose himself. Succeeding at last, he continued more quietly. "I've never been able to hold a grudge against someone I love. You of all people should know that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tommy asked sharply, even as a hollow sensation started to fill the pit of his stomach.

"I managed to forgive _you_ once …for trying to kill me," Jason murmured after a pause, lowering his eyelids. "Don't tell me you've forgotten."

Tommy felt as if he'd been punched in the gut as the deeply-suppressed memory exploded back into life. "The situation was hardly the same," he protested weakly. "Rita had me under a spell at the time!"

"I didn't know that when the Green Ranger abducted me, or after he trashed the Command Center."

Seeing his lover blanch guiltily and look away, Jason found a smile and patted Tommy's arm reassuringly. "Bro, you weren't responsible for what you did under Rita's orders; we all told you often enough. Yes, for a while I almost hated the Green Ranger, but everything changed once we discovered his identity. From the moment I realized it was you, I forgot all about what happened between us in the Dark Dimension and knew only that I had to save you. Thank God we succeeded."

Momentarily caught up in the past, Tommy shivered. Inwardly, he'd constantly been horrified at his actions, but that had never completely negated the things he'd been made to do so many years ago. "I never understood how you could reach out to me afterwards like you did at the beach," he whispered shamefacedly. "You're right, I _did_try to kill you. I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd sent me packing."

"Wasn't gonna happen," Jason replied promptly, his voice ringing with conviction. "We not only needed you on the team, I'd felt enough of a connection with you right from the start to want you with _me_. Everything that had gone on before, I knew we could work through together. And we did, didn't we?"

"Yeah …" There wasn't a time when Tommy hadn't felt gratitude for Jason's generous forgiveness and steadfast support back then – it had become the bedrock of their friendship and had grown exponentially during the days he was losing his first set of Powers for good. _-I'd never have made it without you, Jase. Kim did her part, too, but knowing __you__ were going to be there, no matter what happened to me, Ranger or no Ranger, was what really kept me going – and sane. And when Trini told me how hard you took it when I hid out up in the mountains, that you risked your life for me by going back to Rita's palace for the green candle, then did it all over again for the others … I think __that__ was when I started loving you as more than my best friend.- _

"Besides, you did the same for me when the tables were turned – after I came out of that lava pit on Maligore's island. If it hadn't been for Lerigot's magic …" Jason shuddered as he remembered the tendrils of pure evil invading, then strangling his soul.

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Tommy said softly. "Bro, if I wasn't responsible for nearly killing you in the Dark Dimension, then neither were you for what happened on Muranthias. Maligore made you do it. There's nothing to forgive." The two regarded each other seriously until they both managed to give the other a reassuring if rather shaky smile.

"Then why is it so difficult for you to understand why I'd want to forgive Dad, if and when things work out that way?"

"Maybe because you're a better man than I am," Tommy sighed after a moment's reflection. "Your father was never under an evil spell; he did what he did of his own accord. _That's_ what's so hard for me to let go of." But no matter how deep his grudge, Tommy realized that it wasn't his place to tell Jason one way or another; whatever the outcome, the only thing he could do was to give his support. He drew a deep breath. "_My_ feelings about this don't count, though. You're right, it has to be _your_ decision, Jase. I may not understand the hows or whys, but I trust you to make the right choice."

"_You _were my right choice four years ago," Jason said, his expression growing soft. "And look how that turned out in the end."

"Point taken." Tommy replied with a small, sheepish grin. It was hard to argue with the happiness and contentment they'd found in each other every day since they'd started sharing their lives.

Suddenly exhausted, Jason lay back against his pillow. "Anyway, this could all be pure speculation. Whatever happens when I contact Dad, I'll just have to play it by ear. Tomorrow, or something." He yawned, turned his head and smiled at his best friend and lover. "Can you bear with me until then?"

"Of course." Tommy smiled back and leaned over to kiss Jason lightly. "Sleep well." He would've retreated to his own pillow, but Jason stayed him with a hand to his cheek and held Tommy's eyes with his own, warmth shining from the midnight depths once more.

"Do I really have to tell you that not even the Hearst mansion would be a big enough bribe, by Dad or anyone, to make me leave you? That's what your crack earlier was about, wasn't it?"

Slightly embarrassed at being caught out, Tommy shrugged and nuzzled the large palm. "Yes, it was, and no, you don't," he murmured. "I shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

"Just keep that in mind when I talk to Dad eventually," Jason replied sleepily and drew Tommy down for a lingering kiss before releasing him and shifting into his favorite sleeping position – on his right, one leg tucked between Tommy's and his head cradled on his lover's shoulder. "G'night." A minute later, soft snores told Tommy he was asleep.

---

"Well? How did it go?"

"Hell if I know," Jason sighed, sinking into one of the deck chairs Tommy had placed into the back yard to take advantage of the late-afternoon sun two days later. "Dad was polite enough when I got him on the phone, but he said was basically 'thanks for calling, don't do it again anytime soon'. I got a feeling he was kind of pleased that I_did _call to say thanks, but … shit, I'm really none the wiser."

"I'm sorry." Tommy had had some serious reservations about Jason contacting his father at all, but he couldn't very well refute the argument that at the very least good manners demanded a response. So he hadn't objected too strenuously when Jason announced that he was going to say his thanks by phone; he just hoped that it wouldn't result in another rejection. He regarded Jason with sympathy – this was as hard for him as being completely ignored by his father. "At least he didn't hang up on you."

"There's that, yeah – and maybe it _is _progress of sorts. Still, I really wish I knew what's going on," Jason murmured, toying with the glass of iced tea Tommy had poured for him. "_Does _he want a reconciliation, or doesn't he?"

"Could be he's waiting for you to, I dunno, come to him."

Jason snorted. "Yeah, right. If that's the case, he's gonna have a long wait. I'll be damned if I'm bending over backwards – he was the one to break things up, not me. I've done about all I'm willing to do."

"Good for you," Tommy approved, thinking that John Scott didn't even deserve that much from Jason. "So … nothing's really changed?"

"Not for the time being, no." Wearily, Jason passed a hand down his face, then shrugged fatalistically. "Anyway, the next move is definitely Dad's." The finality and determination in the deep voice were good to hear, and tallied perfectly with Tommy's own stance on the matter. The two gazed at each other, compassion in Tommy's eyes, which Jason acknowledged with a wry smile. "Can't blame a guy for trying, though," he murmured, drained his glass and abruptly changed the subject to something more pleasant.

"Okay, birthday boy, have you decided yet what we're going to do for your big day this year?"

"Turning thirty-five is hardly a 'big day'," Tommy acquiesced readily with a grin, "but yeah, I have – as it's on a Thursday, what do you say to just the two of us going out for dinner someplace nice on the day, then have a few folks come over on the Saturday right after? We could do a barbecue, or something."

"Sounds like a plan. How many people are we talking about?"

"Let's see – my folks, David and Karen, Hayley … maybe Anton? And if they can spare the time and don't mind the drive, Eric and Wes?"

Jason nodded. "Cool. We'll have to borrow or rent some more patio furniture, though."

"Shouldn't be a problem. Think we could set up a wading pool or something for David's kids if the weather holds? He mentioned they might bring them along this time."

"Can't find a sitter for the little hellions, can he?" Jason smirked. He liked Tommy's nephews, but they certainly could be a handful.

"Hey! Sam and Ross aren't _that _bad!"

"Like hell they aren't," Jason laughed. "They're twins, and they're five years old. Being hellions comes with the territory. Just ask Trini – you'd think she and Will ought to have produced kids as nice, gentle and quiet as they are, but remember her last email? Taylor's four, and she called him the 'terror of the sandpit'; the tantrum little Mai-Ling threw during our last phone call wasn't half-bad either, and she's only two!"

Tommy had to laugh as well. "_Touché_. Pity they can't come."

"Hardly likely, with Trini pregnant again."

"Yeah. But ten people is a nice, round number."

---

The number of guests turned out to be an even dozen; Kimberly and her husband Kevin Sorensen had come to California on business and dropped in unexpectedly, along with their two-year-old daughter Josie. They were a very welcome addition to the party, and Kim especially delighted in finally getting to meet two other Rangers. She hardly even blinked at being introduced to a former Bad Guy. Anton Mercer weathered her sharp look and subsequent teasing with good grace, but was nonetheless glad when Hayley took pity on him and gently but firmly distracted the petite erstwhile Pink Ranger.

At one point, everybody split up into smaller groups – Tommy's father was deep in conversation with Anton Mercer and Hayley, Rachel Oliver and Karen Trueheart were in the kitchen putting the last touches to the food while the grill heated up, and David and Kevin were at the lower end of the back yard, playing with the children. That left the five once-and-present Rangers to converse quietly on one side of the terrace.

Kim accepted the wine cooler Jason handed her with a grateful nod. "I've always meant to ask, Tommy – what did you tell your folks about how you're friends with two active Rangers? You haven't mentioned that mission to the moon to them, have you?"

"God forbid, no," Tommy shuddered, helping Jason refill everybody else's drinks. "They'd freak, although it's been years and safely over. David knows, so does Anton, but neither Karen nor my parents do."

"Kevin isn't aware of my Ranger past, either," Kimberly admitted softly. "Sometimes I wish I could tell him, but I can't bring myself to disregard Zordon's rule."

"If somebody asks, we can tell them quite honestly that Eric and I met in a bar in San Diego, when I was at college and went out to celebrate my twenty-first birthday," Jason said casually.

"Did you really?" Kim asked, surprised.

"Uh huh." It was the truth, after all – just not the _whole _truth.

"How come you never mentioned it when we learned about the Time Force team?"

"Long story, long forgotten," Jason shrugged, giving both Tommy and Wes a sly look. The one thing nobody needed to know were the exact circumstances of his and Eric's first meeting. "Anyway, we found out we share an interest in karate, one thing led to another and we reconnected when Anton asked me to train his security force. After all, he got _that _idea from Mr. Collins and the Silver Guardians."

"We can even prove that you consulted with us about a training program," Wes approved, banishing the uncomfortable twinge the reference to the one-night stand Jason and Eric had had with each other back in 2001 still managed to evoke sometimes. A certain curiosity about their rather unlikely friendship was inevitable, he supposed, but that didn't mean he was comfortable discussing it with strangers, fellow Ranger or not. He _knew _Eric and Jason rarely, if ever, thought about it these days and were absolutely faithful to him and Tommy, but …

"Stop beating the horse; it's not only dead, but buried halfway to Australia," Eric murmured softly, nudging him. Reluctantly, Wes nodded, then caught Tommy's wry grin and started to feel better. Just knowing that he wasn't alone with his feelings helped.

"What if they assume that you became friends because all four of you are in a same-sex relationship, though?" Kimberly fretted. She was glad that Jason and Tommy had found someone to relate to on more than just a casual level, and sensed that their friendship was genuine – maybe not as deep as among their old gang, but not far behind – and didn't want anyone to belittle that.

"So what? Let them," Tommy said. It _had _played a part in bringing them close, just not a very important one.

Kimberly raised an eyebrow. There clearly was more to the story than she was being told, but she would respect their obvious wish not to explain further. _-For now, anyway.- _

Adroitly, she changed the subject."So, are you guys going furniture shopping anytime soon?" she teased. "You _do _need some new stuff now to match the house, you know."

Wes laughed. "Hey, let them recover from remodeling first, Kim! We repainted Eric's house and redid the kitchen after I'd moved in, and _that_ was bad enough on top of having to find room for what I'd brought from home! I think if we'd had to go shopping for anything more – besides the paint, a mattress and new curtains," he ticked off items on his fingers, winking at Eric, "Eric would've kicked me out again right away!" He snickered when his partner groaned and muttered something about trying to forget that period as soon as possible. "Well, it's true!" He then turned to their hosts. "Seriously, though, Kim's right. Your house looks great now, but you _could _do with a dining table, for starters."

"Maybe later," Tommy demurred, trying to keep calm. This was something of a sore point between him and Jason, but now was hardly the time to get into the reasons for that. _-Provided Kim and my folks don't notice anything's amiss!- _"As soon as we save up enough money."_-There, that should do nicely. Happens to be true, too.- _

Wes raised an eyebrow, then nodded as he belatedly remembered that teaching salaries were hardly on a par with the compensation he and Eric got for their high-risk jobs. "Well, whenever you're ready, give us a call," he said lightly. "I can probably get you a deal with the company that furnished Bio-Lab's executive dining room. And if _we_ ever decide to do some major renovating ourselves, I just might ask you for your contractor's address."

"That'll be when hell freezes over," Eric quipped, only half joking.

Tommy's smile was rather pained as he replied. "Sure. Just make sure he does exactly what you tell him to do, not decides on his own to alter the plans you agreed on."

"What, you wanted something different?" Eric wondered.

"You have no idea," Tommy muttered darkly, only to be interrupted by Jason's long-suffering sigh.

"Let it go already, Bro. How many times do we have to rehash this?"

Slightly embarrassed, Tommy looked aside and mumbled an apology.

Jason nodded and turned towards Eric. "We'd originally planned something simpler, but Paul was unaware of the situation with my father; he thought he was doing us a favor and incorporated a design Dad gave him;."

"Ouch," Wes commented.

"No kidding," Tommy grumbled.

Because she knew them so well, Kim was able to pick up on the sudden strain between her friends and gave them a searching glance. "Is that why you've put off rearranging your furniture?" she asked curiously. "Like, it's as if you don't _want_ to use all that extra space. Everything is so much bigger and better than what you had before – I can't understand why you're still using that cramped spare room for an office, or why you haven't moved into the new master bedroom."

_-Oh shit. Do you__have__ to be so perceptive, Kim?- _"Sorta. It's … complicated," Jason admitted after a moment's pause.

"Complicated how?" she insisted. "I should think your dad managed to meet every need you have, Jase!"

"He has," Jason conceded with a small sigh. "Which is part of the problem."

"What problem?" Wes asked, picking up on the fact that Kim's remark brought certain undercurrents to light that he'd never sensed between Jason and Tommy before. Next to him, Eric leaned forward as well, focusing his attention on the other couple.

"It just doesn't feel right," Tommy said with a sigh of his own, then tried to tell their friends from Silver Hills with his eyes to let the matter rest. "Look, you guys know that we're having issues with Jason's dad …"

Unfortunately, his silent message didn't get across. Eric frowned. "Didn't you resolve 'em before you accepted his help?" Before either Jason or Tommy could answer, Kimberly suddenly sat up and lightly punched Jason's shoulder while giving him a stern glare.

"Speaking of which, I'm still mad at you for not telling any of us," she said, sounding rather annoyed. "How come you could tell Eric and Wes about your parents' attitude, and Trini and I had to hear it from Rocky? Years after the fact, too?" The friends had all been shocked to learn about the situation, and were understandably concerned … as well as miffed that they hadn't been kept informed.

"There was nothing any one of you could've done, Kim," Jason shrugged. "I know you all would've been concerned, but the last thing I needed or wanted was pity."

"There's a world of difference between compassion and pity, and you know that, Jase," Kim said reproachfully. "You'd have gotten lots of the first, none of the latter, I daresay. Besides, you told _them_!" She gestured at the Quantum and Time Force Rangers. "So why not us?"

"None of you were in quite the same position as we to understand, Kimberly," Wes interjected quietly. "My father wasn't very accepting of our relationship at first, either; that's why Tommy came to us for advice."

"None of you guys are gay," Eric added bluntly. "Or bi and living with a same-sex partner. No matter how much things may have changed in recent years, there're still a number of issues that remainmore complicated for us than for straight folks." The four men exchanged a look that spoke volumes. Kim winced, blushing guiltily. Somehow, she had a hard time associating the problems same-sex couples often faced and which she only heard about in the media with her friends. In her mind, Jason and Tommy went together like coffee and cream, they were two halves of a whole … the way it had been from the start. It was _natural _that they loved each other.Instinctively, she applied the same reasoning to Eric and Wes. Neither couple fit into any kind of stereotype, and thus she found it easy to forget that their choice of life partners wasn't exactly mainstream.

"Oh. Right." She gave them all an apologetic smile. "No offense, okay? I just would've liked to help if I'd known." Then her eyes blazed briefly. "And if any one of you guys _ever _implicates again that my being straight would've kept me from understanding or offering what support I can, I'll deck you," she threatened. "That's got nothing whatsoever to do with it!"

Eric regarded her steadily for a few heartbeats before he nodded at last, conceding her right as a friend to be upset. Then he stage-whispered to Tommy. "You actually _dated _her?!?"

"Hey, give me a break. I was a teenager, I didn't know any better," Tommy promptly replied, dispelling the rather charged atmosphere with a Jason-style joke. Kimberly immediately swatted him.

"Don't even go there, Tommy!" she warned, fighting to suppress a giggle. "You know I don't get mad – I get even!"

"Do I ever," he groaned comically, rubbing his arm as the other three laughed.

"Hmph. That goes for you as well, Mister!" She glared impartially at Eric, who gave her a mock salute.

"Yes'm." He slanted a sideways glance at Wes. "Why do I get the feeling she'd get along swimmingly with Taylor? Both bossy, opinionated …"

"Hey, leave me out of this! I like living too much!" Wes threw up his hands in pretend horror, doubling everyone's mirth.

"I'll take the thought for deed, Kim," Jason comforted her once their combined chuckles died down. "But as Tommy said, it doesn't feel right to just accept what Dad did for us."

"I'd feel the same way," Eric agreed. "Man, I still have problems accepting the same kinds of birthday presents and stuff that Wes gets from his father each year – and that's even though I _know _he's okay with our relationship by now!"

"That's just it – as far as we know, Jase's dad still _isn't _okay with us. And as long as we have no idea what his motives were for getting involved, I for one am extremely uncomfortable about making use of everything," Tommy muttered, gratified that Eric at least nodded in agreement. He took Jason's hand, squeezing it in silent apology. "I'm sorry, Bro. You're right, this is hardly the time or place to get into all that stuff, and I _will _let it go – for now."

Jason sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Despite their conversation right after the renovation was complete, they were still arguing, coming to the brink of a serious fight more than once. Intellectually, he understood Tommy's position, even shared it to some degree, but emotional acceptance was an entirely different kettle of fish for both of them. However, they really shouldn't drag this out in public today. Summoning a rather strained smile, he drew a deep breath and shrugged. "Fair enough."

A somewhat uncomfortable silence settled over the group, luckily broken by Kim's daughter who toddled up to Eric, tugged on his pants leg and held out a slightly mashed piece of bread to him. "Come eat, Unca Eric," she half-begged, half-ordered.

A panicked look entered the Quantum Ranger's eyes as he rather gingerly accepted the slice of toast, determinedly ignoring the others' grins and subdued snickers. He really had no idea why the little girl had taken such a shine to him; he dealt well enough with Sky Tate on their semi-regular visits to New Tech City, had enjoyed sharing the care of his birds with his former neighbors' daughter, but Josie was completely out of his league. He'd only met her a few hours ago, but already Eric couldn't resist her big brown eyes and sweet, engaging smile. So he got to his feet and took the toddler's hand. "Sure thing, honey." Daring Wes, Jason and Tommy to comment with a ferocious glare, Eric followed her enthusiastic tug towards the table.

"Oh my," Kim giggled. "I knew Josie usually has you and Jase wrapped around her grubby little pinky, Tommy, but I had no idea she could do it to Mr. Tough Guy, too!"

Wes laughed. "Don't tell him I said so, but deep down, Eric's a sucker for kids. Especially when he comes up against cuties like your daughter, Kim. I honestly think Eric would've made a great father. "

"Why, thank you!" Kim beamed.

Just then, Rachel Oliver called them over to help with the barbecue.

Tommy grinned and got up. "Anton and Dad are hopeless at grilling burgers," he smirked. "Kim, why don't you go rescue Eric before Josie tries to feed him? And you guys could help Kevin and David with the boys."

"Right," Jason groaned comically, stood as well and clapped Wes on the shoulder. "Come on, let's see if we can manage to stay dry when we try to fish them out of the kiddie pool!"

"Good idea," Wes agreed. "Just point me to the towels first. Then food; I'm starving!"

"You and everybody else, pal!"

---

Exhausted in the aftermath of their lovemaking, Jason was sleeping peacefully as Tommy quietly slipped out of bed and grabbed a pair of sweatpants, then left the room. He made his way downstairs in the darkness, reflecting that by all rights he should be just as tired, only – he wasn't.

Once outside on the terrace, he filled his lungs deeply with the fresh night air. Halloween was just around the corner and it was really too cold to be outside half-naked at night, but it would've taken too long to hunt for a shirt and might've woken his lover. Leaning against one of the pillars holding up the overhanging roof, Tommy sighed. Despite having shared an orgasm with Jason, he didn't feel sated. It was as if even having passionate sex could no longer break through the invisible barrier that seemed to be growing between him and Jason lately.

_-I don't even have to look far for a reason,- _Tommy thought morosely. _-I__know__ why I can no longer relax and enjoy what we have.- _

Indeed, his current dissatisfaction with life in general was solely due to the simple fact that he couldn't get past John Scott's still-unexplained decision to intrude on their home – on _them_. He'd made the attempt, yes, but it had been half-hearted at best … and it was no longer good enough. Day by day, the chasm grew wider, and if something wasn't done soon, their relationship would suffer. He _had_to let go, only – how?

Everybody kept telling him that he should get over himself, that the house looked great, that it was perfectfor him and Jason. Truthfully, it_was _– which somehow made everything worse instead of better. On his birthday, only Eric, of all people, seemed to understand his reservations. Not even his parents and brother grasped fully why he wasn't over the moon by the way the building project had turned out. Granted, Jason did, but Tommy strongly suspected that deep down he kept nursing a fresh hope that John's involvement just _might _lead to an eventual reconciliation.

_-Not that I can really blame him.- _He knew exactly how deeply Jason had been hurt, and he _wanted_ him to find peace. But he still resented the way the older man had chosen to go about it. _-John just waltzed in and gave Jase a gift that's worth a small fortune, way beyond what I – what __we__ could've afforded. It might be worth even more __if__ the motive behind it means something other than trying to manipulate Jase. The jerk never said why, why now, or even that he's sorry for the way he's treated him.- _

An apology should have come beforehand, as well as a request for permission. That's the way things should have gone, Tommy believed, and that was what he couldn't forgive – on top of all the other things John had, or rather hadn't, done in the past four years.In principle Jason agreed with his partner, but he was willing to overlook a lot for the sake of a possible reunion.

_-Why can __he__, the injured party, forgive his Dad, and I can't? I made peace with Kim; I've managed to let go of the memories of what Rita and Zedd did to me. Well, mostly, anyway, unless I'm having a nightmare. Shit, I'm even friends with Anton again; all of that was far worse for __me__ than John getting involved in the renovation. Why is it so hard for me to get over it?- _

Tommy had asked himself that very question a hundred times and more, and was no closer to an answer now, weeks later, than on that first night. Wearily, he stared across the moonlit lawn towards the forest, letting his mind go blank as he waited for he knew not what.

No sound or movement disturbed the quiet autumn night, and yet Tommy knew exactly when Jason stepped onto the terrace. Like him, he was only clad in loose-fitting pants; and although it was very much the wrong place_and _time to feel desire, the sight of the sculpted chest under the light of the crescent moon made his insides flutter.

"Jase," Tommy murmured, acknowledging his presence at last. As if the soft word had broken a holding spell, Jason came forward to join him, stopping just out of reach.

The deep voice was a mere whisper in the stillness surrounding them. "Why'd you get up again, Bro?"

Tommy just shrugged. "Not tired enough, I guess."

"You should be." Jason tilted his head. "I missed you."

"You were already asleep."

"Not that deeply. You could've woken me."

"Didn't want to. You need the rest."

"And you don't? Come on, Tommy, that's not the reason why you're down here instead of upstairs in bed, where we _both _should be this time of night," Jason chided him. "Or at least not the only one. My guess is you're upset because something was … well, off about our lovemaking just now. Am I right?"

Tommy stifled a groan. It came as no real surprise that Jason had picked up on the emptiness he had felt so shortly ago; they were too close, too attuned to each other for it to be just one-sided. And yet for once Tommy almost wished it were different … because then he would be spared the necessity of finding an explanation for something he wasn't sure he understood himself. Nevertheless he tried to avoid the issue.

"What are you talking about? Everything was great, as usual."

"Physically, it was," Jason agreed. "But how about emotionally?" When Tommy didn't answer, he continued after a few heartbeats. "Bro, we've been together for almost ten years; do you honestly believe I wouldn't notice that this time your heart wasn't really in it?"

"I-" Tommy started, only to be interrupted by Jason's stern look.

"Don't even think about denying it," Jason said evenly. "We know each other too well, and I'll get _really _pissed if you start lying to me." He inhaled deeply. "What's wrong?"

Defeated, Tommy closed his eyes. "Nothing, I – I mean, we – oh hell, I don't know," he sighed. "You're right, I couldn't completely let go."

There was no satisfaction in having his suspicions confirmed, Jason found. "Why not?"

"Beats me. I've been just so mixed up lately … I don't _want _to feel like this, but it's like everything has changed, like nothing is the way it used to be," Tommy whispered, cringing inwardly.

"Before Dad interfered with the remodeling, you mean?" Jason asked with a sudden flash of insight. At Tommy's hesitant nod, a shade of bitter sadness flitted briefly across his face. _-How long are you gonna carry that around, Bro?-_ He forced himself to remain calm and kept his voice carefully neutral."Tom, it's done; we can't unmake what he did. The only thing we _can _do is deal."

He received a half-defiant, half-skeptical look from his partner. "Can _you_?"

Wearily, Jason rubbed a hand across his chin and sighed before meeting the brown eyes with his own. "Most of the time. Some days are better than others, but on the whole … yeah, I'm dealing. Thanks to you, your folks … and our friends. Especially after Eric's 'lesson'. It was a hard thing to learn, but you guys made sure I did." Both Jason's voice and expression softened. "Tommy, you've let Dad's attitude become _your _problem instead of mine. Please stop."

Tommy winced at the astute assessment. The situation _had_ long become personal, and he was no longer sure whether he was still angry solely on Jason's behalf, or his own. "That's not as easy as it sounds," he mumbled.

"No, it's not." Jason sighed, choosing his next words with care. "But Tom, we've done nothing wrong. It's taken me ages to fully realize it, but now I_know _that the fault, if any, lies with Dad. Not with you, not with me – with him. All we can do is accept the things we cannot change." He let the quiet statement sink in, then took a step closer, almost, but not quite close enough to touch. "What's really bugging you? I get the feeling that it's more than just my father's involvement in the remodeling. You've never held a grudge for so long, especially not over something neither one of us is responsible for."

Tommy had to look away. It was a difficult admission to make, but he no longer had a choice – Jason deserved an honest answer from him. "Mostly it's because the house is so different now," he murmured at last, daring to sneak a sideways peek at Jason from under his lashes to gauge his reaction. "It's dumb, I know, and I'm _trying_ to get past it, but … sometimes I feel like it's not my home anymore."

"It's not exactly supposed to be," Jason reminded him gently. "We started the whole thing because we wanted to make it _our _home, remember?" Before Tommy could reply, he went on. "Are you sure you wouldn't feel the same if Paul had stuck to our original plans? The changes would've been pretty extensive anyway – just less grand."

"Could be," Tommy conceded reluctantly. "Told you it was dumb."

"Your feelings on the matter are hardly 'dumb' – especially not if they drive a wedge between us."

"Do they?"

He flinched at the short, humorless bark of laughter coming from Jason. "Shit, yeah. Tom, less than two hours ago we were as close as two guys can get with each other. But I could _feel_ you weren't truly there, not even when you were inside of me! You haven't been, not really, since we've come back from vacation and saw what Dad has done."

Tommy blushed uncomfortably, but couldn't deny the truth behind the blunt words. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jason soothed, closing the remaining distance between them to touch Tommy's shoulder, then gave him a slight shake. "I was rather pissed myself once I got over my surprise, no matter how much I liked the result. But is it worth obsessing over for so long? It's been over two months, Bro." He regarded his best friend and lover with serious eyes. "If you're still doing this out of some urge to protect me … don't, okay? I've gone past that. As long as you're with me, I can handle _everything_."

Tommy opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again. With startling accuracy Jason had laid his finger on the exact sore spot. It was in both their natures to protect the ones they loved, especially each other, but somehow he'd let his need to shield his lover from pain get out of hand. He'd lost sight of the fact that no matter what obstacles life threw at him, Jason was perfectly capable of managing his own life.

"I guess I got it into my head that I was responsible for your dad kicking you out," he admitted at last. "If it hadn't been for me, you might've found someone else to love, someone he could accept." Agitatedly, Tommy raked a hand through his hair. "Just look at what he gave you!" He gestured vaguely towards the remodeled living area. "If I wasn't in the picture, you could have so much more – more than I can ever give you!"

Jason rolled his eyes in exasperation as he interrupted him. "Haven't we been over that before? You think I give a shit about that stuff? You know me better than that, Tom. What exactly are you afraid of? That I'd stop loving you just because Dad suddenly chose to spend a load of money on me?"

The embarrassed silence and slow flush rising up Tommy's neck was answer enough, and Jason made a sound deep in his throat that was half sigh, half groan.

"Tommy, this isn't a contest. I love my father, and I always will – because he helped shape me into who I am today, because he used to be the best dad I could've wished for and because he was the most important person for a big part of my life. Nothing's going to change that. Then I fell in love with you – something else that's never going to change – and chose to act on my feelings. I got lucky; you love me back. Now _you've _become the best, the most important thing in my life. It was Dad's choice to reject me because of that. His, not mine. Do I regret what happened? Hell, yeah. But I'll never regret choosing you!"

Jason drew a calming breath before he continued with less vehemence. "Tommy, I've had to learn the hard way that I can live without my father. But I can't imagine living without you. Or not loving you." He paused, found a gentle smile. "If there ever _was _a contest, love, you've won it hands down years ago."

Tommy's shoulders sagged as tension he hadn't been aware of flowed from him all in one rush.

"Thanks," he whispered. He rubbed the back of his neck, then smiled rather sheepishly. "Rationally, I guess I knew all that, but I couldn't help thinking that if I hadn't talked you into moving in with me you wouldn't have had to go through all this shit."

Jason snorted. "You talked me into _nothing_, Bro," he stated firmly. "I've wanted to live with you just as much – longer even, remember? – and if you insist on playing the blame game, I could've kept my damned mouth shut ten years ago and never told you that I loved you more than just as my best friend or brother!" He quirked a wry grin. "By that reckoning, it'd all be _my _fault."

Tommy's head jerked up at that absurdity.

"That's bullshit!"

"No more than you feeling all guilty on my behalf, or inferior because you can't keep me in a mansion," Jason countered immediately. "Which I'd hate anyway. Both the house _and _the being kept!"

"Yes, but-"

"No buts. Truth."

Unable to protest, Tommy finally met his lover's eyes. They were calm, open – full of love and concern, and there was no way Tommy could miss the sincerity Jason was projecting. He felt his lips curve in a respondent grin.

"Truth, huh? So we're both to blame?"

"As much as any two people who fall in love with someone their families don't approve of," Jason nodded. "We've been so incredibly lucky to be accepted by everyone else we care about; even Rocky is coming to terms with us. And he has a better reason than most to disapprove."

"Yeah …"

Jason grasped both of Tommy's arms, his hands firm and warm on his chilled skin. "What am I, a broken record? Tom, I regret _nothing_. You_ are_ the best thing in my life, and I won't let my father destroy that. I love you. Nothing he can do or say will change that. Not then, not now. Not ever."

"I love you, too," Tommy sighed. "I guess I'm really being an idiot."

"Yes."

"Hey!" Tommy protested half-heartedly.

"Another truth," Jason smiled. "C'mere." He slid his hands around the trim waist.

A little sheepishly, Tommy complied, drawing the muscular body close until Jason could rest his forehead against his neck.

"That's better," he said quietly, his breath warm against Tommy's skin.

"Mmm." As they stood against the pillar, holding each other in a loose, comfortable embrace, Tommy finally felt the tension drain from his body and the hollow emptiness within himself fill once more with warmth and comfort. Basking in the familiar sensation, he tightened his hold around his lover. "Forgive me?"

"Always," Jason promised, then raised his head so that their eyes met. The look in the midnight depths took Tommy's breath away. "Now shut up and kiss me." Willingly, Tommy obeyed the husky command.

As soon as their mouths met, Jason's lips opened and Tommy slipped his tongue between them, letting it dance softly with its counterpart. They both felt the other relax in that gentle, undemanding embrace that somehow brought them closer than the more heated kisses they'd shared earlier. When they separated at last, Jason smiled into the chocolate-brown eyes.

"Welcome back."

"I wish I'd never left," Tommy sighed ruefully, staying within the apt metaphor. He _had _let outward considerations interfere with their relationship, creating a palpable distance that was as bad or worse than a 'real' separation. "But now that I'm back where I belong, what do you suggest we do?"

"Whatever you're comfortable with," Jason murmured against his lover's lips. To his delight, Tommy took it as an invitation for a second, deeper kiss that left them both slightly breathless.

_-Comfortable? How can we be comfortable with the house still in shambles?- _Tommy wondered, then caught himself. How had he made the leap from emotional unease to purely physical discomfort? If that was the only thing bothering him, it could be easily rectified. _-Jase is right, we can't undo the changes to the house – and whatever motive John's had, it's no longer worth fighting over.-_ Once he arrived at that conclusion, it was surprisingly easy to let go of his lingering resentment – something he hadn't been able to so far. It felt … good.

"I guess we could start moving furniture," Tommy capitulated with a small smile.

"About time," Jason chuckled, his relief evident in the hug he bestowed on Tommy. "But not tonight."

"Uh, no. How does Saturday sound?" Tommy couldn't resist the softness of the warm mouth so close to his own, and gave a teasing lick. Jason gasped and tightened his hold, pressing himself against the smooth chest.

"Perfect."

Whatever else he might've been tempted to say was swallowed in yet another kiss that started innocently enough, but soon deepened when they moved into full body contact. It was electrifying for both men. Their hands started to roam almost simultaneously, warming their flesh. Tommy shuddered when Jason's thumb brushed against his left nipple, and he felt himself harden. Since they both wore nothing but thin sweatpants, Jason couldn't help but be aware of his reaction and promptly cupped the tight buttocks, letting Tommy feel his own burgeoning arousal.

"It's after midnight," he remarked idly, trying in vain to control his already-ragged breathing.

"Uh huh. Way past bedtime," Tommy agreed breathlessly, nibbling down the throbbing vein in Jason's neck even as he slipped one hand underneath his waistband.

"It's a workday tomorrow," Jason panted, flexing his ass as he drew the nails of one hand down Tommy's spine, making him shiver.

"Yeah," Tommy groaned, pumping his groin against the corresponding hardness jutting from between Jason's thighs. "We'll be totally bushed if we don't go to sleep soon."

It really was the sensible thing to do. But spontaneous lust rarely cared about sense.

Deliberately losing the fight to desire, Jason reached for the straining cock with trembling fingers. "You know what? Sleep is overrated." He hooked his other hand around Tommy's neck and thrust his tongue between the willingly parted lips, taking his mouth in a hungry kiss.

"Bed. Now."

"Right."

Minutes later, they fell onto the mattress together. That night, they didn't sleep at all.

---

"You know what? I don't like this," Jason told Tommy two weeks later. They had just manhandled a chest-of-drawers into their new master bedroom and were catching their breaths before starting on the bed.

"Don't like what?" Tommy inquired, handing him a can of cold soda he had fetched from the kitchen.

"The wall paint. It's boring."

"It's white. What did you expect? Drama?"

There was a faint hiss as Jason popped the can's tab and thirstily chugged down half the content. "No – and before you ask, no purple polka dots, either. I just think we need something different," he said. "Something not quite so … stark."

"But the room isfreshly painted," Tommy pointed out reasonably.

"So? Doesn't mean I have to like the color."

"I suppose not," Tommy conceded, secretly pleased that not _all _the contractor's choices (or Jason's father's; he no longer particularly cared whose) met Jason's unqualified approval. "Next time, make up your mind beforehand," he grumbled good-naturedly. "Gotta admit, though, you're right; it _is _rather bland. So now what?"

"Let's redo the whole thing," Jason shrugged. "It's not that much work, and we can do it ourselves. If we go to the DIY store now to pick a color we both like, we can have it done by tonight. What do you say?"

Grinning, Tommy finished his own soda and tossed the can into a garbage sack in the corner. "I say you're nuts, but what the hell – let's go for it!"

"Cool. We can grab lunch on the way."

-

"Y'know, I wasn't sure at first whether the color would really go with everything else, but now that we're done, I must say it _does _look better," Tommy admitted, glancing around the room as he tossed their rollers and brushes into a handy pail when they finished at sunset. The now light-gray walls blended well with the charcoal-gray carpet and the dark-stained oak of their furniture, and the deep red of their bedspread and lampshades would add a rich, sensuous touch. "I like it."

"Knew you would," Jason grinned smugly, pulling off the bandanna he'd worn and wiped his sweaty face. "If we leave the window and door open, the smell should wear off overnight and we can move in tomorrow."

"Can't wait," Tommy said. "I'm sick of living out of boxes."

"You and me both. Come on, let's finish up here, have a bite to eat and crash in front of the TV; I'm not up for anything more."

"I really should work on my lesson plan for Monday, but … oh, screw it. I'll give the kids a pop quiz instead," Tommy decided, helping his lover collect their materials and trash. "TV sounds fine."

-

The next morning was spent dismantling their bed and carrying the parts from one room into the other. Reassembly was quick work, as was putting on fresh linens and moving in the rest of their furniture. By early afternoon, all that needed doing was sorting their clothes into drawers and the wall-to-wall closet – a simple yet ingenious affair of built-in shelves and hanging space covered by two large sliding doors that resembled Japanese _shoji_, only with larger panels. One whole length in the center had mirrors instead of opaque glass, and Jason was looking forward to being able to watch himself and Tommy making love. He suppressed the pleasant shiver the thought gave him with no little effort.

_-Time enough for that when we get around to properly 'christen' the room,- _he thought with a hidden smile, stashing various items into the nightstands. Their lube, wipes and other paraphernalia, including a certain black silicone toy, went into a drawer for easiest accessibility. _-Pity we'll both be too tired again tonight – but I can't wait to try some of the new stuff!- _His insides tightened. True to his promise, Tommy had joined him in picking out a few more things, and their first order had arrived a couple of days ago. Just the memory of what just browsing the online catalogue together and discussing the various items had done to their lovemaking that night was enough to make him moan under his breath.

_-Down, boy,-_Jason told his too-eager anatomy and quickly left the bedroom for another load. They still had work to do; he could indulge his fantasies later.

"Have you found the Black Hole in our old room yet?" Tommy grumbled as he passed Jason on the landing, both going back and forth with armloads of clothes. "I swear, half of my socks disappeared in one!"

"Yours, too? Personally, I think it's gremlins," Jason replied, grinning at his lover. "They're probably also responsible for eating holes in some of my t-shirts. I could've sworn they were fine the last time I wore them."

"Right now, I'm almost ready to believe anything. Man, I never realized we had so much stuff – didn't we both sort out a huge heap when you moved in?"

"Uh huh. Which was four years ago."

Tommy snorted. "Yeah, and things just multiplied when we weren't looking, huh?"

Jason laughed and kissed him. "Whatever. Come on, let's get this over with."

---

Taking advantage of the long Thanksgiving weekend, the two were readying the property for winter on Friday when a tan sedan unexpectedly came up Valencia Road and stopped not far from the house. Recognizing the car, Jason caught his breath and froze with shock. Tommy immediately decided to ignore the visitors for the moment and turned towards him.

"Bro? What's wrong?"

"I don't know yet," Jason murmured hoarsely and took a hesitant step forward. "It's my parents."

"What?!?" Incredulously, Tommy took a closer look and saw John Scott helping his wife get out of the car. Without hesitation he moved to stand right behind Jason, silently lending him support.

Warily, he watched them come closer. Helen looked reasonably well for having been so ill not too long ago, he thought; she had obviously lost weight, was rather pale and her once chin-length hair was now cropped close to her head, more white than blonde. _-Aftereffects of chemo and radiation therapy most likely,- _the scientist's part of his brain commented, but right now Tommy couldn't care less about her state of health – all his attention, like Jason's, was focused on the man at her side. John was trying to look impassive, but a tic in his cheek gave away that he wasn't entirely succeeding. He was also looking anywhere but at Jason.

It was Helen who broke the uncomfortable silence by taking a few shaky steps and stretching out a hand towards her son.

"Jason!" she exclaimed with a smile. "I've so wanted to see you again!"

There was no way Jason could ignore his mother's greeting. "Hello, Mom," he murmured, went forward and caught her in a careful hug. "I thought you were still in rehab?"

Helen returned the embrace with more strength than he'd expected. "They let me out for good behavior," she grinned impishly. "Just to reward myself, I thought I'd come here first before going home."

Tommy couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard John mutter "more like nag until I agreed to the detour" under his breath, and hid a smirk. _-She hen-pecked you into it, huh? Serves you right, old man!-_

"Seriously, though, I'm done with most of the treatment; the rest can be done as an outpatient at Angel Grove Memorial." Helen either hadn't heard the remark or blithely chose to disregard it, not that it mattered.

"That's great news," Jason said sincerely, feeling a small lump of worry in his gut that had lodged there ever since his return from Angel Grove dissolving at last. "But shouldn't you go home as fast as possible, to rest?"

"I can do that once we've taken care of some unfinished business," Helen declared, her face settling into serious, determined lines. "Jason, your father has something to tell you."

Tommy bit back a scathing remark, waiting for Jason to reply. He could see that the muscles in the broad back tensed up and that Jason was balling one hand into a fist as if he was preparing to ward off a blow, but forced himself not to show any reaction. This was between Jason and his father.

"I'm listening," Jason said at last, his voice carefully neutral. Only someone who knew him well, like Tommy and Helen, could detect the faint quiver in the deep tone.

Clenching his jaw, John swallowed and cleared his throat several times, then visibly braced himself to meet the wary dark eyes so similar to his own. It took him a couple of attempts until he managed to bite out a few words.

"I was wrong."

Jason slowly released the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. "About what?"

The older man rubbed a hand down his chin, a mannerism that was also very familiar to Tommy. _-I never realized that Jase has copied so many gestures from his dad!- _He wrenched his attention back to the tableau before him. The next few minutes could be crucial to whatever relationship his lover was going to have with his father in the future; hardly the time to get distracted by irrelevancies.

John's shoulders sagged. "About you … and Tommy," he murmured finally. "I … I thought that getting involved with him had changed you – I couldn't understand why you chose him over … someone else." Tommy gave the man grudgingly credit for not saying what he obviously meant – a woman – but held his tongue, sensing that John wasn't finished. Indeed, after a small pause, he added, "But that's not all. I was angry, and hurt, that you chose him over _me_."

Slowly, Jason shook his head. "I never _wanted _to have to choose between you, Dad," he said quietly. "You _made_ me."

"I can see that now." Resignedly, John closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Jason actually swayed as he heard those two little words, and instinctively Tommy laid a steadying hand on his shoulder. They may have come years late, but they were what Jason had been waiting to hear.

"Sorry for what?" Jason asked hoarsely, not daring to hope that all the anguish he'd felt since that day in Angel Grove could be over at last. He'd believed that the mere expression of regret would be enough, but now that it had come, he needed more.

His father spread his hands in a half-embarrassed shrug that also conveyed helplessness. "A ton of things. Ignoring you, not listening when I should have, closing my mind … seeing only myself, not you. Or your mother." He sighed. "You really shocked me when you told us about your … your orientation. For the longest time, I couldn't … I didn't _want to _believe that it was true. I thought I had lost you as my son; I didn't know you anymore, wasn't even sure I wanted to."

Jason glanced away, biting his lip. He'd always suspected that his father felt that way, but to have it spelled out like that hurt. Breathing hard, he faced John again. "Is that all?"

"No, but do you really want me to list every absurd idea I had about you and Tommy?"

Knowing his father and his sometimes rather parochial views, Jason shrugged. "I guess not."

"Thank you. Anyway, I … I've had a lot of time to think, and … and I just wanted to tell you that I've finally come to my senses. I made a mistake. A lot of mistakes," John amended. "About how I handled the situation, about how I saw you … I was wrong about a lot of things," he repeated. "I'd like to make things right again." The normally hearty, rather brash voice was gruff now and barely audible, but not even Tommy could miss the note of sincerity.

A few steps away, Helen smiled. She'd worked hard to make her husband understand that he had to take the first step, that their son had been hurt too deeply, had too much pride to do so – or accept anything less than a full apology. She decided to step in and help John get to the point. "We're asking you to forgive us, Jason. Do you think you can?"

"Maybe," he replied warily.

"Just tell us what you need us to do," she said promptly, noticing out of the corner of her eye that John nodded. "We'll do anything to have you back in our lives."

Jason stared at his feet for several seconds, then faced his father head-on. "What made you change your mind?" he asked intently. "What's different all of a sudden that you're now willing to accept me the way I am – the life and the partner I've chosen? Because I have to tell you, if you're not willing to do that, we have nothing more to say to each other." He drew a deep, shuddering breath. "It's all or nothing, Dad. If you really want me back, you'll only get me with Tommy. We're a package deal; I won't settle for anything less."

His father actually blushed a little. "I understand that. I'll be honest, I'm not totally comfortable with the idea yet, but I realize there's nothing I can do about it." He sighed resignedly before visibly gathering his thoughts. "As for those changes … I hadn't expected you to come visit your mom in the hospital, not after the way you left, but when you did anyway … it showed me that deep down you were still the same. You hadn't stopped caring."

"I never did."

"Yeah, I realized that after a couple of days. But when your mom went into crisis and Dr. Gonzales suggested that change in treatment to save her life – I really wanted to talk to you then. I didn't want to face the chance that your mother might die without knowing that we had mended our fences. Only, you'd already left and I couldn't find you."

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked sharply, remembering those painful moments only too clearly. "You kicked me out of Mom's room that day!"

"That's not true!" John protested.

"Oh yeah? 'I want to be alone with my wife' – isn't that what you said, word for word? Sure sounded like 'don't let the door hit you in the ass' to me!"

Helen clucked disapprovingly at Jason's tone and language, but both her husband and son ignored her.

"I don't remember, but if I did, I only meant for a few minutes – to say goodbye in private, just in case the worst happened!" The older man's face looked shocked and disbelieving. "I knew your mother wanted and needed you at her side, and I wasn't going to deny her something so important. Besides, you had a right to be there. I never thought you'd believe I didn't want you with her!"

"A misunderstanding," Tommy realized, tightening his hold on Jason's shoulders. "Jase, if you'd stayed, hadn't left the building …" He shook his head. How much pain had Jason caused_himself_ that day by making such a wrong assumption? Not that he could blame him under the circumstances … nor John, to be honest. Both men had been incredibly stressed, neither had been thinking clearly, and it was no wonder they'd misread each other.

"Stubborn, proud idiots, both of you," Helen muttered disgustedly, making an impatient gesture. "John, stop beating around the bush – what else made you see reason at last?"

"How about you pointing out to me every day since Jason left how wrong I was?" John asked dryly, then turned back towards his son with a determined expression. "Your mother's justified nagging aside, there was one other thing," he continued. "Or rather several, to be exact." He blew out a long breath. "It was the kids."

A puzzled frown creased Jason's forehead. "Huh? What kids?"

"Your students, the ones helping on the building project." Jason was still looking mystified, so John elaborated. "I really hadn't planned on getting involved with your renovation; the only reason I showed up here was that I had to deliver a contract from one supplier that he needed to sign right away. While I was waiting for Paul to finish the paperwork, the kids showed up for work and Paul asked me to show them the proper way to handle a couple of tools, just so they didn't end up cutting off their fingers. It was a sensible request, so I stayed, got to talking with them, and … long story short, their attitude towards the two of you made me curious. So whenever I had the time, I came back to hear more, and …"

"You interrogated them about Tommy and me?!?" Jason interrupted incredulously.

"I wouldn't call it an interrogation, exactly," John muttered, squirming a little guiltily. "I only asked a few questions here and there, to see what they and the community thought about you and your relationship. Boy, did I get an earful!"

Both Tommy and Jason winced and blushed. Listening avidly, Helen hid a smug smile; she well remembered how much it used to embarrass her son and his best friend whenever someone sung their praise over anything – and how amazed her skeptical husband had been at every snippet of information he'd gleaned in these conversations. But John wasn't done with his explanation yet.

"To listen to your students, you two are among the best teachers _ever_; they not only like your classes, but also seem to think that you're the best adult friends they might ever have. Which was great to hear, but not what I really wanted to know," he admitted. "It took some rather fancy verbal footwork to get them to talk about your relationship without asking outright, but when they finally did …I still can't get over how easily they dealt with the situation. None of the kids seemed to find it odd that two of their teachers are living together – or that you're both men. In fact, I got the impression the boys found it more fascinating than anything else, and the girls thought it was both cool and a crying shame." He completely missed how the men in question blushed even harder. "Even the guys on Rosicky's crew handled it just as casually, and I realized then that I'd let my own prejudices get in the way of understanding.

"There's more, things I learned over the years, but those are the main reasons that made me see how wrong I was – and how sorry I am. About everything."

John swallowed hard, then held out his right hand. "Forgive me, Jason," he said roughly. "Please."

Feeling the redness in his cheeks subside rapidly, Jason stared at the blunt, work-roughened, capable fingers. That very hand had guided his first steps, had once taught him to throw a ball and steadied his first bike. All through his childhood and adolescence, the man it belonged to had used it to comfort him on some occasions and punish him on others, supported him when he'd had problems and slapped his back in triumph whenever he'd achieved a goal he'd set himself, be it victory at a karate tournament, acceptance to the Youth Peace Summit, or graduating first high school, then college with honors.

However, that same hand had also slammed the door to his family home in his face when Jason had confessed his love for Tommy.

The good definitely outweighed the bad, but this most recent memory was the most hurtful – and most prominent in Jason's mind. Torn between anger and pride on one side and the desire for peace and closure on the other, he tried to read his father's craggy, honest features. The dark eyes he'd inherited gazed at him steadily, waiting for his decision. He_wanted _to take it, to have his parents back, but could he_really_ let bygones be bygones? Despite what he'd claimed not too long ago, Jason hesitated until he felt another hand, just as familiar, gently touch his arm from behind.

_-Tommy.-_

He looked over his shoulder and met another pair of brown eyes – not quite as dark, but full of love.

"It's your call, Bro. Whatever you decide, you know I'm with you every step of the way," Tommy murmured softly. "Do whatever your heart tells you. I don't think it's ever guided you wrong."

A fine tremor coursed through the muscular body, and Jason managed a rather shaky smile as he covered Tommy's fingers with his own in gratitude for the unstinting support. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

That one word, spoken with absolute trust and confidence in him, was enough for Jason to make his decision.

"Thanks, Bro," he whispered and turned back towards John who was still waiting, reaching out to him the way he'd hoped for so long. With a deep, shuddering breath, Jason took the first step on the road back home.

"I will, Dad," he promised huskily and laid his hand into his father's.

"Thank you, son."

---

Helen and Tommy watched them shake hands, then move into an awkward hug, and shared a smile, instinctively drawing close to each other as well.

Helen's eyes were misty as she suggested in a low voice, "Let's give them a little privacy, shall we? I'm sure they still have things to work out, and I'd like to sit down while they're doing it, if you don't mind."

His own composure none too steady at the emotional reunion he'd just witnessed, Tommy readily agreed. "Sure," he said just as quietly, offered her his arm and led her into the house. Neither Jason nor his father noticed.

Once they were out of earshot, Helen remarked, "Thank God that's over. Getting John here wasn't the easiest thing in the world, and I wasn't sure how Jason would react. Good thing it went as well as it did."

"Jase never gave up hope that his dad would eventually come round and relent," Tommy said simply. "I'm glad he finally got his wish."

Helen nodded. "You and me both." She looked hopefully up at Tommy as they entered the kitchen.

"You don't happen to have some coffee for a convalescent woman, do you?"

"Of course. Take a seat." He guided her towards the table, pulled out a chair and turned on the expensive Italian all-bells-and-whistles coffee maker he and Jason had invested in last Christmas. Very soon, the aroma of freshly-ground, steam-pumped coffee filled the room as he offered her the first cup.

"Fancy," Helen marveled at the large, brushed-chrome appliance, taking a sip with obvious appreciation. "But nice!"

Tommy smiled slightly as he sat down opposite her with his latte. "Yeah, well, one can't live with Jase and _not _learn to like really good java."

"That's an addiction he's inherited from me, I'm afraid," Helen apologized. "Of course, it really took hold when he was in Switzerland."

"So he told me."

Jason's mother drank another mouthful. "To be honest, I'd prefer a stiff drink after all that emotion. Isn't it Happy Hour _somewhere_ in the world?" she asked with a slightly defiant grin.

Tommy grinned as well; he'd always liked Helen and her sometimes offbeat sense of humor. _-Something else she's passed on to Jase.-_ He slid off his chair and went to a cabinet.

"I'm sure it must be. How about we at least pretend to be proper, though, and just give our coffee a little extra kick?" He showed her the bottle of Greek brandy they kept in the kitchen for after-dinner drinks.

"What an excellent idea!" Helen beamed, holding out her mug. Tommy poured a generous measure into it, helped himself to a smaller shot and sat back down. For a few moments, they both savored the fragrant mix in companionable silence, then Helen reached across the table to take his hand.

"Tommy?"

He looked up, wondering at her suddenly serious demeanor. "Yes?"

"Jason isn't the only one to whom we owed an apology," Helen said quietly. "You deserve one as well."

A few weeks ago, he would've had a hard time not to gloat with satisfaction; now it was just about the last thing Tommy expected to hear.

"You don't have to-" he started, but Helen shook her head, interrupting him.

"Yes, we do. Tommy, by treating Jason the way we did, we acted badly towards you as well – and that was plain wrong. It took us far too long to remember how glad we'd once been that Jason found such a good friend in you; you were the brother he always wanted, and had become almost a second son to us," she said. "Especially when Jason was away in Geneva … it was such a comfort to have you still with us at least! I'm sorry we ever forgot that."

"It doesn't matter," Tommy protested uncomfortably. It _had _hurt not to know for certain whether his gender was the only thing causing the elder Scott's rejection, or whether it was something about him as a person. To get an apology now was gratifying, but much to his surprise he discovered in that instant he no longer needed it. What mattered was Jason's peace of mind, and hopefully he'd have that from now on.

"I think it does," Helen contradicted him gently but firmly. "It's already been a very emotional day, and I think the four of us still have a lot of things to talk through in the near future, but I want you to know today that _you _were never the problem." She snorted lightly. "As I told John when I was still in hospital – if Jason were our daughter, we'd have been more than happy that he'd found someone like you. I can't imagine a better man as my son-in-law."

The term made Tommy's heart lurch slightly with longing; he knew that people like Alan Collins were working hard on changing the legislation to make unions as theirs legal, but that dream still belonged in the future. So he confined himself to a matter-of-fact reply. "But Jason's not a girl. Neither am I. We're both men."

"True. But I'm not wasting any more regrets on that than I already have; it's the one thing nobody can do anything about anyway."

"Er, no," he smiled somewhat grimly, receiving a rueful look in return.

"Quite. I believe John is getting there as well. I'll be honest with you, Tommy – he may have accepted your relationship at long last and won't do or say anything again that'll hurt Jason or you, but he still has a way to go before he'll be able to treat it completely naturally, the way it should be. Expect at least _some _awkwardness at times."

"Fair enough," he conceded after a moment's consideration. "My folks needed some time to adjust as well, so I suppose Jase and I can live with that."

"Thank you," Helen smiled gratefully. "That's all we're asking."

The silence settling over the kitchen table was comfortable as they finished their coffees. Tommy broke it at last as he remembered a detail of John's apology that had him puzzled. "Can I ask you something, Mrs. Scott?"

"Please, call me Helen; man or not, you're family now. And of course; what is it?"

"I've been wondering … what exactly did your husband mean when he said he'd been afraid Jase would change, or that he didn't know him anymore? We told you that day we'd been together for quite a while, and Jase was the same as before – or you would surely have noticed if he'd changed."

"You really should ask John."

"Well, yes, but …" He shrugged expressively, indicating that they had hardly reached a sufficient level of comfort yet, and Helen took the hint with wry grace.

"But. Yes. Okay, I'll try to explain how I see it."

"That'd be great, thanks." He stood to refill his coffee and gestured towards her cup. "Want some more?"

"Yes, please." As soon as their beverages were topped up, complete with a second splash of brandy, Helen began to talk. "To understand where John is coming from, you need to know he's very traditional. He grew up with strict, proper parents who cared a great deal about what other people thought. You worked hard to the best of your ability, you went to church, looked after and provided for your family, were charitable … and most importantly, you didn't stick out in any way. It's not a_bad _way to live, but John realized that in today's world, some allowances had to be made, especially in the way we raised our son. We wanted Jason to be honest, hard-working and responsible, yes, but not to accept things without questioning whether they were right or wrong. We wanted him to be open-minded and curious, to make his own decisions about the way he leads his life." Reflectively, Helen stared into her cup for a moment before glancing back up at Tommy.

"Overall, I like to think we succeeded. We just didn't imagine Jason would choose a lifestyle so radically different from what we expected it to be," she sighed. "But even before that … as Jason grew up, John discovered some things about his character that didn't fit with what he _thought _his son should be like."

"You can't be serious," Tommy sputtered. "There's nothing wrong with Jase's character; he is one of the finest people I know!"

She smiled and patted his arm. "Oh, I agree. Let's see, how do I explain it … I don't have to tell you that for all his strength and … well, I guess masculinity is a good word … Jason has a soft, sensitive side as well, do I?"

"Of course not. It's one of the things I love most about him."

"Thanks – so do I. But John didn't know how to deal with those traits, and that led to certain disappointments. He likes to hunt and was looking forward to take his son stalking; Jason can't stand guns, or killing for sport. John likes to watch wrestling, or boxing; Jason hates violence of any kind and prefers to go away from a fight if he can. Only when he took an interest in karate that John's expectations of his son were satisfied. It wasn't as macho as boxing, but at least he wasn't a sissy. There were other things, too – starting with his choice of friends."

Tommy groaned, half in exasperation and half in outrage on his partner's behalf. "Let me guess – a shy geek, a jokester and two _girls _weren't quite what he'd had in mind?"

Jason's mother snorted inelegantly. "Bingo. If it hadn't been for the fact that in every other aspect they were exactly the kind of nice, decent kids we wanted Jason to be friends with, and that Jason developed a keen interest in all sorts of athletics, John would've been rather unsympathetic if not downright disapproving. But he managed to convince himself that Jason's dislike of bullies and his need to protect someone John considered weak was an acceptable reason to befriend Billy; Kimberly and Trini could potentially become girlfriends if Jason would stop treating them like a big brother, and Zack … well, who can really dislike him?"

"I certainly couldn't," Tommy said with a reminiscent chuckle. Jason might have been his best friend from the start, but despite their relatively short acquaintance he hadn't hesitated to turn to friendly, gregarious Zack for dating advice.

They shared a brief laugh before Helen continued. "You were actually the first friend Jason brought home who had John's full approval – an athlete, kind of a tough guy and able to meet Jason on his own ground. The only thing about you he _didn't _like was your long hair," she grinned.

Self-consciously, Tommy rubbed the back of his neck like he used to when he still had his ponytail. "What, no allowances for a teenage rebel?" he pouted with a hint of self-mockery. He _had _initially grown his hair just to be different, to stand out.

"Why do you think he never mentioned it to you?" Helen replied dryly. "That's exactly what John said it was – and that you'd come to your senses eventually. Which you did, right?" She looked pointedly at his short, spiky haircut.

"Only because I hated having to wear a cap during lab work," he muttered. "But you said there was more?"

"Unfortunately. Jason's disinterest in the company, for example. I suppose it's natural for any father who owns a business to want his son to join in and take over eventually, but even John had to agree that it would be a shame to waste Jason's intelligence in construction when he could have a college education instead. Not that John was too pleased about his choice of career – like some people, John considers teaching to be more women's work – but at least he chose subjects John could relate to." Helen shrugged. "In his view, politics and sports are very much a guy's domain, which made it okay. I'm afraid John got in the habit of rationalizing the gentler aspects of Jason's character away like that."

"I don't get it – doesn't he realize that's at least half of what makes Jase unique?"

"_Now _he does. Reluctantly. His pretty house of cards collapsed all in one go when you two told us you loved each other and he _had _to face the fact that Jason was his own man, not a slightly-discolored copy of himself." Helen's blue eyes held a hint of sadness as she gazed at Tommy. "John isn't homophobic, or really prejudiced even. He's never judged strangers for their orientation, always said it was none of his business what people did behind closed doors or in their bedroom. But when it came to _his _son, he couldn't deal with it. To him, it was as if Jason, by being bisexual and having chosen a same-sex partner, rejected everything he believed in and stood for, what he had tried for over twenty years to teach to his son. He was wrong, of course, but that's the way he felt. Feelings are seldom logical."

"Trust me, I know that better than most," Tommy murmured, his eyes automatically drifting towards the window and Jason, who was still lost deep in conversation with his father.

"I thought you might," Helen smiled, following his gaze. "But back to John; what made the situation worse is that the only openly same-sex_couple_ he's ever known outside of films or television were some drag queen customers; he couldn't stand the thought that Jason might act as flamboyant and, well, _gay_ as he'd seen them do."

Tommy nearly choked on his latte. "D-drag queens? _Jase _and_ I_?" he said weakly, torn between outrage and hysterical laughter. "With makeup, feathers, sequins and calling everybody 'dahlink'?"

"Something like that. Don't look at me; I tried to tell him hundreds of times that he needn't worry, that not every gay or bisexual person was like that, or how neither Jason nor you would ever fit that stereotype in a year of Sundays, but once that moronic idea was lodged in his brain, he couldn't let go of it," Helen muttered, obviously still disgusted at the very notion. "He only started to believe me once he'd observed Jason at the hospital, looking and acting completely normal – just like he used to. Then, after coming here and seeing for himself how ordinary your life really is, John _finally_admitted how wrong he'd been."

Shaking his head, Tommy leaned back. "Well, that explains a lot," he murmured. "Thanks for telling me."

"You had a right to know," Helen said quietly. "Of course, some of it is just guesswork on my part, but I'm reasonably sure most of it is fairly accurate." She sighed wearily. "Ever since my illness, John has wanted to reconcile with Jason, but he was afraid Jason might be too bitter because of the way he cut him off. When Jason told him a few weeks ago that he still loved us, despite everything we put him through – and when he realized at last that he'd rather have his son with a male partner than not at all – _that_ was when he started looking for a way to make amends."

"Our renovation project?" _-So Jase was right, after all – his dad __was__ reaching out to him by giving those plans to Paul.-_

"Yes. I thought it was a bad move to get involved without your knowledge, but John insisted to do it his way. Were you very shocked and angry?"

"At first, yes," Tommy admitted. "But it's cool now."

"That's very gracious of you."

"Well, we can hardly rip everything out again, can we? Especially not when it's really what we need and what we would've gone for if we thought we could afford it."

"As long as you don't think we were trying to buy your forgiveness," Helen said worriedly.

"The thought_had _crossed my mind," Tommy confessed, ruefully remembering his last argument with Jason. "But Jase convinced me it wasn't likely."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be; as I said, everything's cool."

"Thank you." Helen gave him a grateful look and held out her hand. Without hesitation, Tommy took it, enclosing the still-frail fingers with his own. Her lips curved, but the blue eyes were still shadowed. "Do you accept our apology then?" she pleaded. "It's sincerely given, and it would mean a great deal to both John and myself if you would."

He looked steadily back at her for several heartbeats, then nodded. "I'll have to," he replied quietly. "For Jason's sake – and for mine."

"Thanks," Helen sniffled, wiping her eyes surreptitiously.

"You're welcome." He waited until she'd composed herself. "Need a tissue?"

"Not anymore, but thanks for offering." Helen gave him a somewhat wobbly smile, then, in a move that reminded Tommy strongly of Jason, deliberately changed tack to lighten the atmosphere. "So, once more, welcome to the family, Tommy. Does that mean I can now go and brag about 'my son's partner, the doctor'?" she winked, startling him into laughter.

"Why not 'former Nascar driver', while you're at it?" he chuckled.

"Ooh, yes, I'd forgotten all about that! I can't wait to meet with my Ladies' Aid group now; they'll die of envy!"

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, Tommy drained his cup. "You really should get together with my mother and compare notes," he suggested dryly. "Sometimes I get the feeling she's more proud of Jase's achievements than mine, the way she fusses over him."

"Rachel always was a very sensible, intelligent woman," Helen said, her tongue firmly planted in her cheek even as a pleased blush gave color to her pale cheeks. Changing the subject yet again, she pushed away from the table. "Shall we see what Jason and his father are up to? I think we've left them alone long enough."

"Sure." Gallantly, Tommy helped Jason's mother get up, then offered her his arm to walk outside. Through the window next to the door, they could see the two men standing a little to the side of the house, conversing quietly. He was just about to open the door when Helen stayed his hand. Surprised, he glanced down at her. "Something else on your mind, Mrs. Scott?"

She frowned. "Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?"

"Sorry. Helen, then," he amended with a guilty grimace.

"Hmph. But to answer your question, yes, there is." She sighed a little. "When I was still in hospital, I asked Jason whether he was happy with you. The way he said yes … I knew in my heart that he was telling the truth." The smile returned, very soft now. "I guess what I'm trying to say, Tommy, is – thank you for doing that. For loving my son the way he deserves to be loved."

Tommy smiled back. "He's making it very easy for me," he murmured. "If Jase hadn't loved me first and hadn't had the guts to tell me, I don't know if I could ever be as happy with someone else as I am with him."

"Then you're both very lucky."

"I know."

The two exchanged a long look, each acknowledging silently the other's right to guard and watch over the heart of the man they both loved. At last, Helen straightened determinedly, breaking the rather solemn mood.

"Well then. Let's go join them?"

He laughed. "I thought you'd never ask!"

---

"Have a good trip home," Jason told his parents as he and Tommy walked them to the car by late afternoon. "Drive safely."

"Who's the parent here?" John Scott grumbled as he unlocked the doors. Jason chuckled, hearing the humor under the gruff complaint.

"Didn't you read the manual, Dad? Once your children are past thirty, _they _get to do all that 'be careful' stuff," he winked.

"Hmph."

"We will, don't worry," Helen laughed, hugging Jason first, then Tommy. "Will we see you at Christmas?"

"Tommy's parents have already invited us to Christmas dinner," Jason replied apologetically, "but if it's okay with you, we can spend Christmas Eve with you, can't we, Bro?"

Tommy shrugged. Despite the apologies and reconciliation, he wasn't exactly keen on spending part of the holiday in John's house, but if Jason wanted it … he certainly wasn't going to spoil his good mood by denying him something so simple. After all, it wasn't as if they planned to move back to Angel Grove permanently – he could deal with a few hours in the Scotts' company on December 24. So he said with a smile, "Sure. It shouldn't be a problem to change our hotel reservation to a day early."

"Wonderful," Helen beamed. "I'll cook something extra special," she promised, kissed Jason's cheek one last time, then climbed into the car.

John waited until she was seated and buckled in, then indicated with a tiny jerk of his head towards the trunk that the two younger men should join him there. Helen was watching them curiously in the rear-view mirror, so he turned his back towards the car, facing his son and his partner.

"Your mother isn't as well yet as she thinks she is," he started.

"Would you rather we stayed away?" Jason asked quickly. "We could invent an emergency, or something …"

"No – I only meant I don't want her to overdo it. No open house for the holidays this year, or a huge, complicated meal that has her in the kitchen all day."

Jason sighed with relief. "That's fine."

"Next spring though … you remember it'll be her sixty-fifth birthday in March, right?" Jason nodded, and John continued in a low voice. "Don't tell her, but I'm thinking of throwing a big, catered party for her. We canceled all our plans this year because of her illness, so I thought it would be a nice surprise for her if we invited all of the family, her friends and neighbors to celebrate both her birthday and that she's beaten cancer."

"She'll like that, I'm sure," Jason said, getting a sinking feeling in his stomach. Was his father telling him in a roundabout fashion not to show up on the day? It wasn't entirely unreasonable; the last thing his mother needed was new stress, and he'd do anything to ensure her well-being. He and Tommy didn't care much anyway about big affairs like John was apparently planning, but he'd hoped …

He needn't have worried. "Well – I think she's going to enjoy it even more if you're coming, too," John said, swallowed once, then looked fully at Tommy. "Both of you."

Jason caught his breath. He'd made it very clear to his father that he had no intention to hide his relationship with Tommy. John _had _to be aware that attending this party together meant everybody back home would learn that they were a couple. Inviting them regardless was as big a concession on his father's part as telling him he was sorry had been.

"Is that what you really want, Dad?" he asked anyway, just to be certain. John's expression was more wryly resigned than enthusiastic, but the look and nod he gave Jason was quite determined.

"I wouldn't have asked you if it wasn't," he stated firmly. "You're part of the family. You have more right than anyone else in the world to be at your mother's birthday." He drew a deep breath. "And that includes your partner, no matter who it is."

_-It'll be the ultimate coming out. This might well mean that we have Dad's tacit approval at least – if not exactly his blessing. Yet.- _Jason found that all of a sudden he _wanted _to attend that party … provided Tommy agreed. He looked beseechingly at his lover. "Tommy?"

There was only one answer Tommy could possibly give. "We'll be there," he said quietly, sending Jason a reassuring smile. "Just let us know the exact date in advance so we can clear our schedules."

"As soon as I've booked the restaurant," Jason's father promised. "Okay, now that's settled, we'd better be on our way. Have a good weekend."

"You, too, Dad."

The three men shook hands, Jason and his father exchanged a few words in private, then John got behind the wheel and drove off. As he cast one last look into the rear-view mirror before a bend in the road hid the house, he saw Tommy drape an arm around his son's shoulders as they both waved one last time. A few months ago, the gesture would have disturbed and angered him; today, he was only reminded of how often he'd seen a teenaged Tommy or Jason do the exact same thing … and how he used to take it as an expression of brotherly affection.

_-How could I have guessed that they'd become something more than best friends and brothers?-_

For the first time ever, the thought made John Scott smile.

---

Later that night, Tommy was already in bed, waiting for Jason to emerge from the bathroom. When he did so at last and started to undo his belt, Tommy saw a trace of white in the corner of his mouth.

"Toothpaste," he grinned, showing him the respective spot on his own face with the tip of his tongue.

"Oops." Grinning back, Jason wiped it off with his thumb, then proceeded to strip. Tommy smiled appreciatively as he watched him undress, enjoying the way the sculpted body moved around the bedroom. When Jason wore nothing more than tight black briefs, he went briefly back to the kitchen to return soon after with a glass of wine for each. He sat on the mattress next to his lover, handed him a glass and waited until they'd both had a drink.

"What's up, Bro?" Jason asked casually, stretching his legs.

"Nothing. Just enjoying the view," Tommy said innocently.

Jason chuckled. "Like you haven't seen me strip hundreds of times before? You've been _watching_ me all evening. I was just wondering why." He sipped his wine, a drop of the ruby liquid glistening on his lips before he licked it off. A tiny flock of butterflies stirred in Tommy's gut at the sight. He raised one knee under the light duvet to hide his reaction.

"No particular reason," he hedged.

"Bullshit," Jason said softly, leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair off Tommy's forehead. "Tom, I've _felt _your eyes on me every time I so much as moved or went out of the room. The only other time you ever look at me that intently is when I'm performing for you." Over the years, Tommy had discovered that watching Jason masturbate was a major turn-on for him – and that doing so got Jason equally excited. It usually led to intense, heated all-night sex sessions. "Not that I mind, but … why tonight?"

Tommy gave him a small smile and shrugged. "You're giving off this incredible vibe," he explained. "It doesn't matter if I'm clear across the room, I can tell just from looking at you how you feel."

"Really?"

"Uh huh. You're happy, content … at peace." Tommy scooted upwards so that his back rested against the padded headboard and touched Jason's arm. "I know it's because you reconciled with your Dad; I guess I just expected you to be more euphoric, or something. Not so … serene."

"That's exactly how I feel, though," Jason murmured.

"Anyone would in your situation." Tommy started to stroke his arm soothingly from shoulder to wrist and back, liking the feel of hard muscles, soft skin and tiny hairs under his fingertips. "I'm very happy for you."

"Thanks." When those wandering fingers slid down to his wrist again, Jason twisted his hand and laced them with his own. He pensively stared at their joined hands for several moments. "I feel as if everything in my little corner of the universe has turned right-side up again after being tilted sideways," he said at last. "I know that it's not permanent; in a few days I'll be able to look at everything more rationally, but … right now it's as if I'm floating a foot off the ground."

"Enjoy it as long as you can, Bro," Tommy advised him, slightly bemused by the colorful image. "You've earned it."

"Mmhmm." Jason shifted on the mattress until he could rest his back against Tommy's raised knee and sipped reflectively on his wine. Tommy did the same, noticing the faraway expression in his eyes. It was similar to the one Jason had worn during the months when he had been struggling to come to terms with his father's rejection, but unlike then it didn't fill Tommy with dread and unease. As he'd said earlier, the peace Jason had found was almost palpable and Tommy knew that he was merely looking inward, quite likely reviewing what had passed between him and his father today.

"Did you have a good talk with him? After he apologized, I mean?" Tommy inquired gently at last.

"Yeah. Dad was very open with me about what he thought and felt; it's something he's never done before. I hadn't expected him to tell me everything he did, but … I think I'm closer to him now than I've ever been," Jason said, his deep voice laced with wonder and awe. "It's almost as if the last four years never happened. Only they did, and I won't forget them, but …" He gave Tommy a glance that was both slightly embarrassed and apologetic. "Somehow, it's as if I've finally come all the way home."

Tommy lightly squeezed the hand he was still holding. "I understand." He finished his wine and placed the glass on the floor beside the bed, to avoid knocking it over in case he needed to grope for his glasses … or something else … during the night. "So I take it you've forgiven him?"

Jason nodded. "Yes." He hesitated, twisting the stem of his wineglass between his fingers before looking anxiously at his lover. "What about you? You've been angry at Dad, too – sometimes more than me, it seemed. Dad told me you said some pretty harsh things to him when he dropped by to bring me Mom's address, plus the whole thing about the renovation … I'd hate to think that the two of you couldn't get along."

_-And put me in the middle again, making me choose between you.- _He left the thought unspoken.

However, Tommy knew him well enough to read between the lines; the thought had already crossed his mind. He realized he needed to do some forgiving of his own to prevent such a scenario from coming to pass. A part of him craved retaliation, but for Jason's sake, if not his own, he would have to curb any impulse to repay John for every bit of pain he'd caused them. Tommy definitely hadn't turned into the man's biggest fan, apology or not, but his conversation with Helen and her genuine regret over the past _had_ helped to soften his disposition; so had John's demeanor towards him after his talk with Jason. They still had a long way to go, Tommy felt, until he could be as easy and comfortable with John like his father and David were with Jason – but he was reasonably certain it would happen in due time. Meanwhile, there was no way _he'd_ be responsible for destroying Jason's regained peace of mind.

He reached up with his free hand and cupped Jason's cheek. "Jase … it may take me a while to really put everything behind me," he said slowly, wanting only honesty between them, "but I canforgive almost anything and anyone just for making you feel the way you do right now." He gazed warmly into the midnight eyes. "And yes, that includes your Dad."

Jason exhaled with relief, turned his head into Tommy's palm and kissed it.

"That's okay," he replied huskily, leaning forward to brush a fingertip across Tommy's lips. "I thought today couldn't get any better. Thanks for making everything perfect."

"My pleasure," Tommy answered softly, sliding his fingers through the short dark hair until they came to rest on Jason's neck. The subtle signal was clearly received when Jason smiled, emptied his own glass and put it next to Tommy's even as he let himself be drawn down into a gentle, whisper-soft kiss.

---

They nibbled at each other's lips without urgency or pressure until Tommy opened his mouth for Jason to slip his tongue between them. Tommy could taste the wine and a hint of toothpaste on his lover's breath as their kiss deepened. He brought up his other hand to hold Jason in position while his own tongue leisurely explored the warm, moist mouth, making Jason hum contentedly at the back of his throat. They parted at last, eyes bright with love, and Tommy let one hand trail down to the broad chest, feeling skin and muscles ripple in its wake.

"Come to bed?" he asked softly.

Jason said nothing, just nodded and rose from his perch on the mattress in one fluid motion. He went to the light switch near the door and flipped it, leaving the bedroom lit only by the reddish glow of one nightlight. He stripped off his briefs and, nude now, walked back to the bed, already showing the beginnings of arousal. With a low chuckle, Tommy sat up, threw back the cover and shimmied out of his own boxers, demonstrating a similar state. Jason stopped beside the bed to just look at Tommy for a few seconds until he lay down as well and bent over him to share a second, longer kiss.

"Mmm, yeah," Tommy moaned lightly, wrapped his arms around the broad back and gently stroked down Jason's spine. He loved holding him like this, skin to skin, their bodies pressed full-length together, legs entwined and their hardened lengths rubbing against each other between their bellies. They kept it slow and undemanding at first, letting anticipation build gradually as each tried to touch as much of the other's body as possible with tender caresses rather than give immediate rein to the passion growing between them. Even so, it didn't take long until they were both fully erect.

Ending yet another kiss, Jason nuzzled Tommy's throat, clasped him tightly and rolled them over, using his strength to lift Tommy until he came to rest on top of Jason. Laughing softly, Tommy allowed himself to be swept along, enjoying the feel of the smooth, hard chest against his own, the comparative softness of Jason's belly and the silk-over-steel heat nudging him. Large, warm hands wandered down his back and began to knead the firm cheeks below, causing Tommy's breath to catch as he instinctively began to pump his hips. He hissed as a sensitive body part inadvertently bumped into a bone.

"Right method, wrong location, Bro," Jason murmured against Tommy's lips, the deep voice laced with amusement. He spread his legs until his lover was cradled between his thighs. "Surely you haven't forgotten what goes where?"

"Smartass," Tommy replied, his eyes twinkling even as he adjusted his position so that he rub himself sensually against Jason's groin. "No, I haven't forgotten what to do, but … are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, why?" Jason slid one hand upwards and between them until he reached Tommy's left nipple. He circled the sensitive nub a few times with his fingertips, then pinched gently.

"Things have been rather one-sided lately," Tommy gasped as delicious shudders raced through him from head to toe.

"So what? I already feel like I'm on top of the world; I don't need to be on top of you as well."

"Aw man, that's terrible," Tommy groaned, shaking with spontaneous laughter as he buried his face against Jason's neck and nipped his skin. "Even by your standards!"

"Whatever." Jason shrugged innocently, his eyes bright. He continued to play with the tight bud, increasing the pressure.

Tommy shivered with pleasure. A part of him wished Jason would kiss and suck him there – it always drove him wild with wanting – but another, more insistent part demanded he take care of a portion of his anatomy that needed to get sucked just as badly. Giving in to that need, he extricated himself reluctantly from their embrace.

"Are you _really_sure?" he asked again even as he switched position so that they lay side by side and head to foot, bringing himself within easy reach of Jason's mouth and himself close enough to apply lube.

With a sensuous stretch of every limb, Jason lay back against the pillow and handed Tommy the bottle of clear gel. "Hell, yeah." Seeing a trace of doubt linger in the brown eyes, he smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, Tom, just go ahead – trust me, you'll _know_ when I want to be on top."

Of that, Tommy had no doubt. Jason could be very direct when making his wishes known – and very inventive when it came to taking the dominant role. The memory of a certain special set of black sheets they'd bought recently, still lying wrapped and unused in their closet, sent a fresh surge of blood down below his navel, making him twitch in anticipation.

_-To be tied down right here on our bed, unable to move, waiting for Jase to do with me what he wants … aw, man!- _

The idea was incredibly exciting and something definitely worth waiting for – while in the meantime, he had a willingly submissive lover waiting to be taken. So Tommy accepted the gift Jason was offering him with good grace and mounting desire.

"I'm sure I will."

With a practiced flick of his thumb, he opened the bottle lid and squirted a generous dollop on his fingers, then looked back up at Jason who was watching him with a heated look. "Suck me while I slick you up?"

A small flame flared in the dark eyes, and without hesitation Jason complied slowly and expertly, using his tongue and lips equally. Tommy moaned in bliss. He let the sensations wash over him for a couple of minutes before he could bring himself to concentrate on his partner again. He carefully worked the lubricant into Jason until he was relaxed enough and he groaned. That low, hungry sound vibrated all the way into Tommy's insides, and he couldn't wait any longer.

"Give me the pillow," he said roughly. Jason was already reaching for the firm, foam-filled bolster they kept for that very purpose, handed it over and Tommy quickly shoved it under Jason's hips, raising and tilting them to a near-perfect angle. He then moved to kneel between the corded thighs, spreading them even further apart with both hands.

Both men moaned as they came together at last. Jason's chest rose and fell rapidly as he got used to the penetration, then he sent Tommy a lusty smile and hooked his hands under the backs of his knees, drawing them up against his chest to give him room to move. As always, Tommy felt a sense of both awe and victory in accepting this willing surrender, and he couldn't help a small, triumphant laugh. He bent forward, rested his weight on his hands to either side of the sculpted torso and slowly began to rock back and forth, keeping his thrusts slow and shallow until he was completely buried within Jason.

"God, I love being in you," Tommy murmured huskily, looking down onto the flushed face of his lover as they both stilled.

Jason dragged his heavy eyelids open and gazed back up into Tommy's eyes. "Love having you in me," he panted, let go of his knees and crossed his ankles behind the straining back. With his hands free again, he reached for himself with one and sought Tommy's chest with the other. "Now do it – please?"

"Hell, yeah." The brief respite had been enough for both to adjust to the sense of filling/being filled by the other. Soon, Tommy established a steady rhythm that Jason copied by pleasuring himself. Their bodies started to glisten with a light sheen of sweat, the scent and slickness increasing the sensations. Eventually, Jason's head trashed from side to side, and his breath started to come in short, heavy gasps.

"Harder … faster," he groaned, writhing frenziedly under the sensual assault. Tommy only grunted and obeyed, losing himself completely in the heat and friction. He was pushed over the edge when Jason simultaneously pinched both his nipples and clenched his muscles around him, and he climaxed with a hoarse cry.

Collapsing on the heaving chest, Tommy waited until the shuddering aftershocks subsided, then reluctantly rolled off his lover. Jason was unsatisfied yet, and he wanted to bring him to the same state of pleasant exhaustion as soon as possible. With a feral smile, he leaned down and used his mouth.

Jason was shivering with lust as he watched Tommy. He threaded both hands into Tommy's hair to hold him in place and began to move in and out of the wet mouth. He was too aroused to last long; arching off the bed, he shouted Tommy's name as his orgasm hit with near-cataclysmic force.

---

They shared soft kisses and whispered endearments as they held each other during the afterglow, soothing overstimulated nerves with tender caresses while they waited for their bodies to cool. Afterwards, they got up and showered together, grumbling a little about the necessity, but loathe to sleep all sweaty and sticky with the inevitable mess of uninhibited sex.

This time it was Tommy who made a detour to the kitchen for wine before they were back in bed. They drank slowly, savoring the taste, laughing when an attempt by Jason to share the last mouthful from his glass with Tommy through a kiss nearly resulted in another trip to the bathroom. Tommy solved the problem by simply licking the spilled wine from Jason's chin and neck before it could drip onto the sheets. Then he firmly placed both glasses onto the floor, turned off the light and drew the duvet over both.

Chuckling contentedly, Jason draped one arm and leg over his lover and relaxed, shifting only now and then until they both were comfortable. Tommy kissed the dark head resting on his shoulder.

"Happy?"

"Very," Jason smiled, smothering his yawn against the warm skin. "Are you?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"I love you, Tom."

"Love you, too, Bro," Tommy replied softly.

Jason couldn't help it, he drew Tommy into a soft, languorous kiss that was reciprocated just as gently. Then he settled back into the warmth and comfort of Tommy's embrace and closed his eyes drowsily. There was much he still wanted to talk about, how they were going to handle their relationship with Jason's parents, how they would juggle doing justice to both their families on the upcoming holidays and a myriad of other things. There really was no better place than here, in the privacy and intimacy of their shared bed, both relaxed from making love. However, he was both physically and emotionally exhausted from the intensity of the day; despite his elation at being reconciled with his father, he felt too drained to start a discussion with Tommy now.

_-To hell with it. The future will take care of itself; it usually does, one way or another. I don't have to deal with it now. Not when I've finally, truly come home.-_

Minutes later, they were both asleep.

_To Be Continued …_

55


	22. Forever And Always

_**Disclaimer: **__Not mine, no money made etc._

_**Note: **__In response to the Live Journal prsw22 challenge, themes #21, warmth and #04, commitment (reprise). – Okay, hold onto your hats, folks; after all the angst and drama in the previous arc, the next two chapters are going to be pretty much all fluff (and PWP! -evil grin-). _

_**Note II: **__Speaking of PWP, there's a very high probability that I won't be able to edit the next chapter (23) enough to take it down to an M rating; it would therefore be unsuitable to post here. In that case, I'll put a note into my profile as well as into the author's note of the chapter after that (number 24); my profile is also the place where you can find the links to the full version. _

_Enjoy anyway, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 22: Forever And Always**

"Leave it right there; that's perfect," Jason told Tommy once he'd shifted the black-stained wooden container containing their Christmas tree a bit more towards sliding door. Since remodeling the house, they'd taken to buying a live tree with the bale still intact, leaving it on the patio until shortly before the holidays. They would plant it out into the back yard in early January; now all they had to do was put up the lights, and they were done.

"Okay." Tommy made a few adjustments until the lush fir was standing absolutely straight and gave the container a last twist. "Man, these things are getting heavier each year," he grumbled. "Did you get the lights untangled?"

"Yep." Jason joined him on the roofed terrace, several strings of golden-yellowish LED lights already in hand. Together, they made quick work of fixing them evenly to the branches. When only one strand was left, Jason unrolled the extension cord and placed it near the waterproof outlet in the wall. "Can you finish by yourself?" he asked. "The news start in a couple minutes – and I'll heat up the punch for later."

"Sure, go ahead." Tommy smiled to himself as his lover went inside after giving him a quick, grateful kiss and grope. If everything went as usual, they'd be making love in front of the fireplace later tonight. There were more comfortable places in the house, but ever since they'd bought the thick, soft sheepskin rug the temptation to have sex right there, with only the flickering flames and the lit Christmas tree for illumination and the winter night sky clearly visible through the wall-to-wall glass doors, was hard to resist.

_-Besides, nothing beats the atmosphere!- _

First, though, Jason would watch the news like he faithfully did every night. They'd have dinner next, share some more punch, and after that …

_-Then, the fun starts.- _Tommy couldn't help a small leer as he plugged in the lights and set the timer. The punch Jason had prepared from a recipe he'd brought home from Geneva would be a fragrant mixture of hot tea, red wine, orange juice and spices – ideal for warming up after a day spent skiing … or setting up the Christmas tree. It also never failed to get them into the mood for some slow, intense loving. Tommy felt himself grow hard as he pictured mapping Jason's tanned body with his hands and mouth in the firelight. _-Mmm. Soon,- _he promised himself.

However, first he had to wash the dirt and sticky sap from his fingers. With a last, critical glance he decided their tree was as fine as it was going to get and went inside.

On his way back from the bathroom, he collected two mugs of steaming punch from the kitchen and went down the two steps into the living area to join Jason on the couch. Jason murmured his thanks as he jotted down a few notes and a web address related to the latest news from a conflict somewhere in Africa. He was planning to teach a unit on third-world development next year, and could use the information to prepare lessons. Tommy stretched out his long legs with a contented sigh, sipped his beverage and let his mind wander when the news anchor's voice suddenly caught his attention.

_"In domestic news, Congress passed the Equal Marriage Act with a significant majority today. As of January 1, 2020, same-gender couples in all fifty states will be able to enter legal unions, with all the rights and benefits associated with traditional marriage. Let's switch to our correspondents in Washington and several other states across the union for reactions from legislators, lobbyists and opponents …"_

The distinguished features of Alan Collins were among the first to appear on the screen, answering a reporter's questions. Both men had sat up and were now listening intently; they'd known that Wes' father had actively been lobbying for this change in the law for years, but they'd had no idea his efforts would be successful so soon. Once the segment was done, Jason reached for the remote and clicked off the TV.

"Well," he said slowly, trying to mask his reaction. It wasn't easy, not when he was yea-close to panting as if he'd just run a full stadium lap. "I certainly didn't see _that _coming."

"I don't think anybody did," Tommy murmured dazedly. He was having trouble not to press a hand to his chest in an attempt to still his triphammer heartbeat. "Certainly not this year, or Wes would've mentioned something. Wouldn't he?"

"Uh huh." Jason slanted a sideways glance at his best friend and lover. "So what do you think?"

"About the new law? It's … good."

"Yeah."

Tommy dearly wanted to ask what that meant for _them_, but couldn't quite find the nerve to broach the subject. Back when they'd first become lovers, making their union legal had only been an option in Massachusetts or a few foreign countries; it wouldn't have been valid anywhere else. A few years later, they could have registered a 'domestic partnership' in their home state, giving them every right and privilege that a marriage would, but it would've been invalid almost anywhere else.

_-We both said we wanted all or nothing.- _

When Jason's parents reacted so negatively to their coming out, he understandably hadn't wanted to compound the situation any further by legalizing their relationship, and eventually they just stopped talking, or even thinking about it. Besides, both men felt that a piece of paper or a ceremony didn't make a difference to their commitment to each other. It still didn't.

Now, though, that situation would be changed forever within a few short weeks.

For some reason neither Jason nor Tommy chose to pursue the subject. Instead, they acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened; they prepared dinner together, ate, cleaned up and went back to the couch to finish their hot drinks. Like most nights, they talked idly about everyday stuff – their classes, students, what they were going to do for the holidays. Tommy especially seemed bent on discussing at length what kind of presents he was going to buy for his nephews.

Jason leaned back against the couch cushions, listening to his distracted ramblings with warm eyes and a slightly amused smile.

_-Tommy sure gets into that whole Christmas thing. Well, maybe I would, too, if I'd ever gotten to meet the real Santa!-_

He couldn't help but notice, however, that Tommy was rather fidgety, repeating himself on occasion and sometimes even losing his train of thought altogether. Jason puzzled over it for a moment until realization dawned – could it be Tommy's teenaged absentmindedness was making a comeback because he was thinking about the very thing that was foremost on _his _mind since hearing the news broadcast?

_-Marriage. For me and Tommy. Man, we always thought that was stuck in some kind of weird 'someday' zone. I never quite believed 'someday' would actually come this soon.-_

If he was totally honest, despite their resolution to shelve the issue Jason _had_ sometimes fantasized about proposing to Tommy, or being proposed to. Over the years, the scenario had changed and shifted from embarrassingly romantic to matter-of-fact and back again, with every possible variation in between. He'd pictured himself going down on one knee, ring in hand, after a festive dinner, only to dismiss it as too clichéd; he'd dreamed of Tommy fiercely declaring his intention to claim him as his lifemate during passionate sex, and had laughed inwardly – they usually had better things to do with their mouths at those times than make life-changing grand pronouncements! In the end, no matter which notion his imagination had conjured, whether casual, spontaneous or deliberate … none had seemed quite right for them.

_-What __does__ seem right, now that it can become reality, is that I __want__ to be married to him. I want 'someday' to be __now__. And if I know Tommy at all, so does he. Only …how do I bring it up?-_

The last thing he wanted to do was pressure Tommy into anything. He'd been the one to take the first step by declaring his love; he'd also taken the leading role in their lovemaking, at least in the beginning. Tommy might have suggested they move in together, but again Jason had been the one to argue first – and most – for coming out.

_-It'd only be fair to let Tommy say the word for once. So, I should probably wait until he asks me.- _

The only problem was, Jason didn't think he had the patience to wait for Tommy to make up his mind. Plus, of course, there was an outside chance that Tommy didn't _want _to change the status quo after over a decade. Jason thought it was unlikely, but he couldn't be one hundred percent sure – not without broaching the subject himself, anyway._-Catch-22. Shit.- _Stifling a sigh, he set his empty mug onto the coffee table and snuck another glance at his lover. Tommy was done with his drink as well and placed the cup absently on the small chest next to the reading lamp. As he straightened, he looked up at Jason, a welter of emotion in his eyes even as he continued to ramble on about presents.

With a flash of insight, Jason realizedthat it didn't matter who eventually did the asking … and that the question didn't need to be asked verbally at all. He could read it perfectly in the brown depths – love, hope, uncertainty, even a trace of fear – but not a single doubt, and the answer right along with it. Jason's breath caught; he didn't doubt for a second that the same things could be read in his own eyes, and between one heartbeat and the next he knew what to do.

_-First, though, I gotta stop his babbling.- _Nearly overwhelmed with love and certainty, Jason moistened his lips to speak.

"Tommy."

"If you still want to give your Mom something decorative for the house, there's this new curio shop down by the harbor; I think I saw a nice-"

"Tommy," Jason interrupted his lover a second time, and reached for his hands. The gentle but firm grip finally got Tommy's attention and he shut up, gulping as he saw the expression on Jason's face.

"Um, yeah?"

Jason lifted the long fingers and brushed his mouth against Tommy's knuckles.

"Yes."

"Uh … w-what?" Tommy stammered, taken completely by surprise.

"My answer is yes," Jason repeated softly, his eyes glowing.

Tommy felt his insides melt, both at the caress and the realization that the wish he'd secretly harbored for quite a long time despite their mutual decision that they didn't need a formal – public, legal, whatever – commitment beyond what they already shared was anything but to Jason.

"But I haven't asked you anything," he replied anyway in much the same tone, trying to calm his now wildly-beating heart.

"You didn't have to," Jason said, his smile widening as he moved closer to slide his hands up Tommy's arms until he could cup the lean face between both palms. "And neither do I – I believe it's pretty obvious we're both thinking the same thing. Am I right?"

Denial would be futile. "I guess." Tommy had to smile as well as his emotions surged, making him lightheaded with relief and delight. "Do you want it as much as I do?"

"Hell, yeah."

"Then it's a yes from me, too."

With a sound that was half sob, half laughter, Jason opened his arms and Tommy let himself sink forward. Chest to chest, they embraced hard until the first giddy excitement passed. Eventually they drew back to look at each other with shining eyes and kissed at last, breaths mingling, lips opening, tongues twining oh-so-gently until joy and passion overwhelmed them.

•••

With a strangled cry, Tommy shuddered into orgasm as they made love in front of the fire. Kneeling before him, Jason laughed huskily and gave him a final squeeze and stroke before seeking his own release in the tight heat of his lover's body. Tommy gave a slight gasp, arching sensually as Jason gradually increased his tempo, sending a fresh jolt of pleasure through him each time he passed over a particularly sensitive spot deep within.

"Yesss," he panted, feeling the waves of sensation from his climax gradually fade. "Come on, Jase – I want to feel you … ohhhhhhhh!"

"Oh yeah," Jason breathed, his throat tight as he felt his own climax approach. "Soon, I promise …" He closed his eyes, concentrating only on the heat and tightness surrounding him. Tommy was deliciously relaxed now, and he had no problem gliding back and forth, the only sounds in the darkened room the crackling of the logs in the fireplace, the intimate slap of flesh on flesh, and their combined moans and sighs. Far too soon for his liking, Jason reached his own pinnacle; he managed to teeter on the brink for a few moments, but inevitably the sensations overwhelmed him. With a hoarse shout he erupted deep within his lover.

It was Tommy's turn now to wait for Jason to recover; deliberately releasing his tensed muscles, he lay back, shivering slightly as Jason slumped on top of him and his breath tickled his skin in small hot gusts. Eventually, Jason nuzzled the hollow at the base of Tommy's neck one final time with his lips and tongue.

"Don't go anywhere," he whispered, kissing first Tommy's mouth, then both nipples and finally squeezed the firm butt one last time as he reluctantly eased himself up and away. "Be right back."

"Mmm." Humming contentedly, Tommy felt him rise and get up. He heard the slap of bare feet on the floor, a short rush of flowing water from the kitchen and then Jason was back with a warm, damp towel. He carefully cleaned them both, tossing the piece of cloth aside once he was done. He lay down again, waited until Tommy had settled his head on his chest, then drew a blanket he'd brought along up to their waists. It _was _winter, after all, and neither wanted to get chilled; besides, the soft wool felt wonderful against their bare bodies.

"Thanks." Tommy shifted so he could lean up on one elbow to kiss Jason. The firm lips opened willingly, allowing him to slip his tongue between them. He could still taste himself from their earlier loving, and as always it gave him a small thrill.

"Love you," he murmured once they were done.

"Ditto," Jason replied just as quietly, running his fingers from the short, spiky hair to the lean throat. "That was great."

"Uh huh." For a while, they basked contentedly in the combined warmth of the crackling fire and the love between them, sharing soft kisses and the occasional caress until Tommy turned his head and looked speculatively at his lover. "Think we should, er, save ourselves from now on? I want to have a real wedding night with you, with lots of hot sex," he asked semi-seriously. "I wouldn't want to spoil that."

Jason chuckled. "Neither do I, but do you honestly believe we could? I'm not gonna be able to keep my hands off of you for long," he said. "Unless we're talking about next week or so?" They might not be altogether young anymore, but they _were _healthy, red-blooded men in their prime who enjoyed having a regular, vigorous love life.

"Maybe not," Tommy conceded ruefully. He, too, enjoyed making love with Jason too much to seriously contemplate being celibate for any length of time.

"Anyway, I don't think we need to worry," Jason whispered, his deep voice taking on a seductive tone that never failed to thrill his lover. "For an occasion like that … I promise, I'll think of something to make it extra special." To prove his point, he leaned in to lick and nip at Tommy's neck. Simultaneously pinching one sensitive nipple, Jason succeeded in sending renewed sparks into Tommy's spent anatomy. The instinctive gasp and moan from his partner as well as some sluggish movement of still-soft flesh against his belly made his own breath hitch.

However, Tommy shook his head at both the playful tease and his body's instinctive – if presently ineffective – reaction and shifted away from the roving mouth and hand. "Behave, okay?" He laughed at Jason's exaggerated pout, then sobered. "I guess we shouldset a date, though," he said. "I don't want to wait any longer than we have to."

"Me neither," Jason agreed as he reluctantly complied. "And yeah."

"What if we went to Vegas? Just after New Year's, maybe, before school starts again. It'd be quick, easy, no fuss …"

Jason stared at him as if he'd grown another head. "You mean, like eloping? Getting married in a quickie ceremony without our parents and the gang? Not only are both our mothers gonna kill us, all the girls would only be too happy to help them!"

Tommy winced as he pictured the combined wrath of Kimberly, Kat, Trini, Aisha and Tanya if they found out they'd been deprived of witnessing their vows. As for Rachel and Helen's reaction … he shuddered. "Uh, good point."

"Duh. No, we've got to have a 'real' wedding – although I agree on one thing, let's not do a big, formal bash. Just family and friends ... maybe a few colleagues." Jason did a quick mental tally of the number of possible guests. "Around forty people, fifty if we count your last team and whichever Rangers are around, and maybe a dozen kids. Let's say seventy-five in all, to be safe."

"Too many to do it at home," Tommy sighed.

"Hmm, yeah." Jason thought for a minute. "How about the Harbor Inn down in Reefside? The reception room is just big enough to seat that many and set up a buffet; we can also use the adjoining terrace for the ceremony and as a dance floor afterwards."

"Sounds like a plan … of course, that means it'd have to be in late spring or summer, to avoid nasty surprises with the weather," Tommy nodded. An idea hit him, and he sought Jason's eyes, only to see that the same thought had occurred to him as well.

"Memorial Day weekend?" Jason said softly, touching Tommy's chest right above his heart. It was the anniversary of the first time they'd made love.

"Perfect," Tommy drew him even closer and they exchanged a gentle kiss. "That is … if we can keep everybody from finding out just _why _we consider it a special day already."

"Should be doable. I hope so, anyway." The deep baritone was filled with amused awe. "Hard to believe it's been fifteen years next summer, huh?"

"Yeah." Tommy rested his head on Jason's shoulder, his back encircled by a powerful arm as he lost himself in memories of that first, heady encounter and what had followed from there. He sighed happily and half-closed his eyes, drifting on a sea of contentment as he watched the flames cast flickering shadows over the broad expanse of smooth skin, just as he'd wished for earlier. He idly traced the sculpted abs from collarbone to navel with one finger. "We're getting married," he whispered, feeling slightly overwhelmed now that they'd set a date. Somehow, having something concrete to look forward to made it even more real. "You, and me. After all this time. Aw, man!"

"No kidding," Soft laughter rumbled in Jason's chest. They lay like that for several minutes, each lost in his own thoughts until Jason reluctantly eased out of their loose embrace. "Hate to say it, but we better go to bed," he sighed. "Staying here like this may be romantic and all, but my back will thank me tomorrow for sleeping on our nice, comfy mattress instead."

"I hate it when you're right," Tommy grumbled, but scrambled to his feet as well. They quickly folded their blanket and made sure the still-glowing logs in the fireplace could safely burn down overnight. Turning off all lights, including those on the Christmas tree outside, Tommy was about to suggest they go upstairs when he suddenly saw Jason stand across the room. Like himself, Jason was completely nude, and the sight took his breath away. Jason had bulked up somewhat around his torso, his hips weren't quite as trim as they used to be and there was a little grey at his temples, but underneath all the inevitable changes of passing time Tommy still saw the handsome boy who had befriended him all those years ago. The midnight eyes were just as warm; the hand reaching out to him just as friendly, and as then he didn't hesitate to take it.

"I love you, Bro," he murmured, closing the distance between them.

"Love you too, Tom," Jason replied, drawing his best friend against him. Sharing a long, deep kiss, both men reaffirmed their bond once more before climbing up the stairs towards their bedroom hand in hand.

•••

On New Year's Eve, the two families relocated from the dining table to the couches once all the dishes had been cleared away. Rachel Oliver gratefully accepted the coffee cup Jason handed her. "Thank you. Dinner was excellent, boys."

"It really was," Helen Scott concurred. "I'd only like to know who cooked it. It obviously didn't come from a restaurant."

Jason grinned and perched on the armrest of Tommy's recliner with his own coffee now that everyone had been served. "What, you don't believe we did it ourselves? I'm hurt, Mom!"

His mother gave him one of her patented Looks. "Jason, I taught you most of what you know how to do in a kitchen, after Trini badgered you into taking that first cooking class in Geneva. You're good for an everyday, quick and easy meal, but unless you've had lessons since you moved here that you haven't told me about, you are _not _up to the kind of four-course dinner we just ate."

"Your doctorate in paleontology doesn't make you a _cordon bleu_ chef either, Tommy," Rachel murmured dryly.

Laughing, Tommy draped his arm comfortably across one of Jason's knees and winked at his partner. "Guess we're busted, Bro." Then he turned to their waiting mothers. "Actually, you're right, we didn't cook all of it ourselves – we just finished it. Most of the prep work is courtesy of Mrs. Scheffer," he explained. "She's the mother of one of my students and was looking for a part-time job now that her oldest daughter has started college. What with my research and Jase training the Mercer Industries security squad on weekends, general housework got to be a bit much for us so we hired her as … well, I guess you could kind of call her our housekeeper. She's been coming by twice a week for the past few months now, to clean and take care of our laundry, and she also cooks for us at home so she can keep an eye on her younger kids. We just put everything in the freezer and take it out as needed."

"Sounds like a sensible arrangement," Tommy's father commented.

"If you have the money, yes," John Scott murmured. "Are you sure you can afford it?"

"Yes, Dad," Jason said patiently. "It's not as if we have hired permanent staff or anything. We're just realistic enough to know the housework was getting away from us – and before you bring up the state of our rooms at home, these days we both prefer to have a clean house and ironed shirts," he grinned.

"I thought your mother taught you how to do that, too."

"She did – but I'm not domestic enough to enjoy _having_ to do it, sorry. And neither is Tommy," he added with a tiny wink. "We need the help, Mrs. Scheffer needs the job, everybody benefits."

"Well, at least you're being sensible about it," Helen harrumphed with a smile.

"Thanks – I think," Tommy laughed.

"That aside, you certainly made the house look festive for the season," Rachel said, smiling approvingly even as she adroitly changed the subject. "I really like the way you've decorated. Rather minimal, but still nice and Christmassy." The tall Christmas tree was now standing in one corner of the room, resplendent with red and white glass ornaments, and Tommy had lit the trio of fat green candles on a black-stained wooden tray in the center of the coffee table. Red and white poinsettias in matching gold-rimmed pots were arranged in front of the window, a basket with pine cones stood by the fireplace, and the handful Jason had thrown into the flames a few minutes ago gave off a lovely, woodsy scent as they burned.

"We both enjoy the season," Jason shrugged. "Putting up decorations is part of the fun – as long as it's not too fussy. No offense, Mom, I loved the way you did up the house when I was a kid, but I wouldn't want all those bows and garlands and other stuff here."

"Why have a real tree, though?" John wanted to know. "That's not really environmentally friendly, is it? Cutting down live plants just for the holidays?"

"Actually it is," Tommy replied. "Admittedly, we did that at first and composted the remains afterwards, but in the last few years we started buying from an organic tree farm that constantly re-grows what they sell. After New Year's we plant them out; they make a great, natural privacy shield for the yard."

"Also, it's really _more_ 'green' than having an artificial tree," Jason added.

"How so?" Brent Oliver wondered.

"Artificial trees are most often made from plastic or some other petroleum-based materials – which is a finite natural resource," Tommy said. "I won't bore you with all the chemical details, but as a rule they aren't biodegradable, can't be recycled – and since most of them are produced in Asia, need to be transported here by plane. Which _also _uses up large amounts of fossil fuels. Real trees, on the other hand, can be replaced naturally, produce oxygen while they're growing, and can either be planted out or composted. It's also why we bought LED lights; they may not be quite as pretty as the conventional ones, but last longer _and_ use less energy."

"So that's where the recycled wrapping paper, the raffia and colored cotton string on your gifts come from," Helen realized. "I must admit, I was a little surprised at first; it seemed less festive than the traditional colored prints and metallic ribbons, but now I really like it. Especially with the natural decorations." She fondly patted the small arrangement of acorns, holly and dried orange slices that had been tied to her present.

"Thanks, Mom," her son smiled.

Rachel lifted an eyebrow. "So do I, but I didn't know you were taking the whole 'green' business this seriously."

"We started recycling as far back as 1995, in High School," Jason said, his mind flashing back to Trini's campaigns and their rather short-lived 'clean-up club'. If it hadn't been for Zedd going after the Green Ranger's powers at the time ... he recalled himself to the present with a small shrug. "It's just that we've taken it a couple steps further in recent years."

"Somebody has to start, even if it's only on a small scale," Tommy added, sharing a look with Jason that was rife with memories as well. "The knowledge and technology has been around for ages; getting big business to clean up their act is one thing, sure, but people also need to useit more in day-to-day life."

It was the perfect opening for John to steer the subject onto something he'd planned to ask anyway. "Speaking of which, Tommy, have you got any suggestions on how to make a house more energy-efficient – but on a budget? I have a new client in Stone Canyon who wants to renovate his house as environmentally friendly as possible, but can't afford to install solar panels or geothermal power for heating. I know it's not really your area, but I'd like to run a few ideas by you …"

Minutes later, the two men were lost to their surroundings, listing and discussing all sorts of gadgets. John had educated himself extensively on the kind of appliances and materials that were on the market, whereas Tommy had done a lot of work with Hayley on how to power the Dinozords and the Lair without access to the almost unlimited energy supplies the old Power Chamber had had. Some of the methods and shortcuts he'd learned from her could easily be adapted to everyday life, not just giant fighting machines.

Smiling to himself, Jason tuned them out and joined the conversation his mother was having with Tommy's parents. He was just glad that in the past few years his partner and his father _had _found common ground; all resentment was long forgotten and there was no longer any kind of caution or reservation when the families met.

_-If Tommy and Dad hadn't learned to get along, we couldn't have had both our folks over tonight!- _

The thought filled him with deep contentment; he'd known the initial euphoria from their reconciliation wouldn't last forever, but everything was still very much right in his world. The only thing that worried Jason slightly was how both his and Tommy's parents would take the bit of news they were going to tell them as soon as the new year started. Jason unobtrusively checked his watch.

_-Two more hours. Oh boy. I just hope we're not going to give Dad a heart attack, after all!-_

•••

"Happy New Year, everybody!"

The two families toasted each other at midnight, clinking glasses. Hugs and kisses were exchanged all around, even though Tommy and Jason habitually refrained from kissing in front of their parents; they felt they could do without the indulgent smiles and coyly averted eyes any public displays of affection between them usually produced. "Mom used to give me the exact same kind of look when I was thirteen and kissed my cousin Marlee's cheek on Grandma Scott's birthday," Jason had grumbled disgustedly the first time they'd shared a more intimate gesture than a hug or holding hands and noticed the reaction. "And that after she practically dared me to do it, too!" However, it was only a small inconvenience, nothing more – they'd simply wait until they had the privacy of their bedroom.

"Well, it's another new year," Helen mused after everyone had taken their seats again, fresh drinks and a platter of tasty nibbles before them. "2020 – my God, back when I was a girl, that date seemed like science fiction!"

"I know what you mean," Brent nodded. "Even though it's entirely reasonable to expect to live into your seventies, it's just not something you like to think about when you're young."

"And look at us senior citizens now," Tommy's mother said dryly. "All four of us about to turn seventy in the near future."

"Don't remind me," Helen muttered, giving her friend a disgusted look. "That sounds so … old!"

"Don't worry, you and Mom will be the youngest and prettiest septuagenarians in the state," Tommy smiled.

"What a lovely thing to say! Thanks, Tommy!" Both mothers beamed.

"You're very welcome."

"It'd be nice if some _other _people felt the same and could be bothered to tell us so." Both Rachel and Helen mock-glowered at their husbands.

The older men glared at Tommy.

"Great, show us up, why don't you?" John grumbled half-seriously.

He laughed and raised both hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, feel free to compliment your wives as much as you want! I just happened to do it first."

"Don't fight, you two," Helen admonished. "We're having such a lovely time tonight, I don't want to spoil it by having you get into an argument." Not that there was much danger of it; John and Tommy still had their differences on occasion, but they never let it escalate into something serious and thus subsided amicably enough. Reassured, Helen nodded, cleared her throat and deliberately changed the subject. "The new year has just begun; isn't it time for resolutions, plans and such? Has anyone made any?" Hardly waiting for an answer, she continued, her voice vibrating with anticipation. "Jason, your father and I have decided to take a month off and finally do some traveling!"

_-What a perfect opening! Thanks, Mom!- _ Hiding his own sudden excitement, Jason smiled at his mother. "Really? Where to?"

"The Gulf of Mexico," John replied. "We've wanted to go there for quite some time, and since this summer there'll be lots of special events to commemorate the reconstruction in New Orleans, it seems like a perfect opportunity. Maybe we'll even tack on a few days on Galveston afterwards to recover from all the sightseeing and culture."

"Sounds like fun," Rachel said. "We're hoping to go to Scotland, if Brent can get the time off." Mr. Oliver had reduced the number of hours he spent at his office, but wasn't yet ready to retire.

Tommy grinned. "Let me guess – Dad's gonna play golf at St. Andrews, and you'll be all over the antique stores in Edinburgh, right?" His mother gave him a 'who, me?' look that didn't fool anyone while Brent leaned back in his chair with an expression that was both complacent and anticipatory.

"Best of both worlds, son. Best of both worlds."

"What about you boys?" Helen asked curiously. "Will you be traveling somewhere?"

This was _it _– the moment they'd been waiting for to make their announcement. Jason and Tommy shared a long glance and almost instinctively joined hands. Tommy swallowed once when Jason nodded minutely, then looked straight at every parent in turn.

"Not this year," he said, his voice shaking slightly despite himself. "We, ah,have something else planned for this summer."

"Oh?" Both Helen and Rachel exchanged a quick look and sat forward. Their mother's intuition clearly signaled that their sons were about to tell them something important.

"Yeah," Jason chimed in. "I hope your travel plans don't include the Memorial Day weekend," he began, his fingers closing tightly around Tommy's. "Or if they do, that you can change them to before or after." He inhaled deeply, held his breath for a second or two before releasing it again and let Tommy drop their bombshell.

"We're getting married."

The silence following their announcement was only broken by Rachel's gasp and a soft exclamation by Helen.

"Oh. My. God."

Brent Oliver reflectively passed a hand through his hair and set down the glass he'd been holding. "Well," he started, then shook his head in amazement, momentarily lost for words.

Jason ignored all three, his attention fully focused on his father. It was _his_ reaction he'd been worried about all along – would he welcome, or at least accept their decision, or would he return to his former incomprehension and antagonism? "Dad?"

John stared into the dark eyes of his son, pursed his lips and looked away again before he spoke at last, his voice almost totally devoid of emotion.

"You disappoint me, Jason."

Jason flinched as if he'd been struck, and felt himself blanch. He never heard his mother's muffled protest or noticed the Olivers' dismayed looks. Tommy tensed and squeezed his hand, ready to spring to his defense, but before anyone could say a single word, John continued in the same bland, measured tone.

"First you decide to leave a perfectly good family business for a teaching career, then you choose a lifestyle which makes it all but impossible for you to ever produce grandchildren for your mother and myself. The very least you could have done, if you absolutely _had _to take a male partner, was give me a son-in-law who might have followed in my footsteps. And what do I get?" He glanced at Tommy, sudden humor in his eyes as he began to smile. "An ex-racecar driver with a fancy but really rather useless title. A dinosaur doctor, of all things. Thanks a lot, son!"

Jason went weak with relief as he realized his father was only teasing. Next to him, he felt Tommy's shoulders beginning to shake as he sputtered and heard his mother sob once as the Olivers laughed. His mind still reeling, the only thing he could do was groan. "Dad, I – you – shit, don't _do _that to me!"

John rose from his seat and went over to stand before his son. Jason got up as well, and found his arms grasped in a firm, familiar grip. "Did you honestly believe I would reject you again?" John asked soberly, shaking him a little. "Jason, I already missed four years of your life because I was too stubborn to see how much Tommy means to you, or could admit that you made the right choice for yourself. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

"Then … then you don't mind?" Jason asked, still somewhat anxiously.

His father gave him a brief hug. "The only thing I'd mind would be if I lost you again. All I want is that you're happy, son," he murmured. Then he turned to look fully at Tommy and held out his hand. "I couldn't ask for a better second son. Welcome to our family, Tom."

Smiling, Tommy accepted it and found himself drawn into the embrace. "Thanks, John."

Rachel and Helen hugged them as well, their eyes suspiciously moist, and Brent cleared his throat even as a broad grin spread across his face.

"I hope you boys have another bottle of champagne on ice," he said gruffly to hide his own feelings. "If this doesn't deserve a toast, I don't know what does!"

After the toast had been duly drunk, Rachel put down her champagne flute and briskly rubbed her hands together, nodding at Jason's mother. "Right," she said in her best businesslike tone. "Helen, get something to write with from the office – we've got a wedding to plan!"

Their husbands shared a positively evil grin. Helen all but rushed towards Jason's desk and returned in no time at all, her blue eyes bright and determined as she resumed her seat and poised her pen on the legal pad's first page. "Uh-oh," John smirked. "I know that look!"

"So do I," Brent snickered. "Boys – you're doomed!"

In unison, Jason and Tommy groaned.

•••

The alarm rang at eight o'clock, and Jason drowsily fumbled for the switch to turn it off. It was really too early to get up on a holiday weekend, but the excitement coursing him as soon as he was fully awake dispelled the small annoyance almost instantly. He rolled over and met the soft brown eyes of his soon-to-be husband.

"You'd think we might at least be able to sleep in on our wedding day," Tommy murmured, smiling when Jason leaned in for a light yet unhurried good-morning kiss. "Mm."

"I wish," Jason sighed comically once he could tear himself away from the taste and feel of the warm lips. "But if we don't get up soon, we'll never get ready in time."

Tommy stretched languorously under the covers. "I wonder how women do it," he yawned, shaking his head. "I mean, here we are awake at 8 a.m., and the ceremony won't be until early afternoon. When do brides get up for the occasion, anyway? At the crack of dawn?"

"I guess."

"We could always ask one of the girls," Tommy suggested without thinking. "After all, except for Aisha they've all been there, done that, got the pictures to bore us with."

"You do that – if you don't want to live long enough to _get_ married," Jason advised him dryly. "I'mcertainly not stupid enough to ask any of them how much time they needed to get all prettified on their big days."

"Er, right," Tommy gulped.

"I knew you'd see sense," Jason chuckled and kissed him again. The caress soon deepened into passion, and Jason moaned when Tommy ran a teasing hand down the sculpted chest and flicked a fingernail across his right nipple.

Tommy grinned around the tongue plundering his mouth. The small brown peaks weren't nearly as sensitive as his own, but that didn't mean Jason was completely immune to stimulation in that particular spot. Much to his disappointment, however, his fingers were playfully slapped aside. "Hey!"

"You're the one who's been going on forever about having a proper wedding night," Jason said, panting just a little as he fought to put a lid on his percolating hormones. "So behave and wait until tonight."

"Spoilsport," Tommy grumbled, reluctantly abandoning his exploration of the smooth, tanned skin before he went into territory that would inevitably bring them to the point of no return. "I suppose that means separate showers, too?"

"Afraid so. But we really ought to get started – even if we don't need hours for primping. The out-of-town guests will start arriving soon."

"Yeah. Don't wanna get interrupted at a bad – or rather good time." They shared a rueful look, sighed in unison and rolled out of bed. Just before Tommy entered the bathroom, though, Jason held him back.

"We'll make up for everything later," he promised huskily. "Once we're on our honeymoon, _nobody _is gonna disturb us for a whole week."

Tommy shivered at the thought. They'd booked a cottage on a small, private Caribbean island – a place where, if the information they'd been given was correct, they'd be able to live out a fantasy or two in peace and absolute privacy.

"Can't wait."

"Me neither. Now let's get going."

•••

"Aisha! Over here!" Kimberly excitedly waved at her friend across the parking lot. She'd dashed down to retrieve a bag from her car and saw the yellow sedan back into a free space. "Hi!"

"Hi yourself!" The former Yellow Ranger dropped her bag and gave her a brief hug. "When did you guys get here?"

"Last night," Kim explained. "It wasn't easy to get another day off, but with two children we had no choice." Together, the two women entered the hotel where all the friends had booked rooms. They'd leave for the ceremony as a group.

"I thought Andy was supposed to stay with your in-laws," Aisha wondered while the clerk checked her in. "Isn't he too small for a wedding?"

"Uh huh, but Kevin's mother had to beg off at the last minute. I called the guys and Jase said to bring him, so … I guess there'll be enough people to look after one reasonably well-behaved three-year-old," Kim said, her brown eyes sparkling. "Especially as David and Karen arranged for someone from the Reservation to come by and take all of the kids to a camp-out in Tommy and Jase's back yard before the dancing starts. You know, real teepees, roasting marshmallows, the whole nine yards."

"Sounds like fun."

"Doesn't it, though? Maybe we should suggest the gang do something like that for our next get-together," Kimberly laughed. Then, she belatedly noticed that Aisha was by herself. "But wait a minute – where's Roger? Wasn't he supposed to come with you?"

Roger was a fellow researcher at the CDC in Atlanta Aisha had been dating for the past two years. To Kim's surprise, a shadow flitted across Aisha's face.

"Roger's no longer in the picture," she said curtly, then sighed at her friend's quickly-masked curiosity. _-Better to get it over with right away.- _"At first, he was all gung-ho about being invited to one of our friends' wedding," she explained. "He thought it meant I was ready for our relationship to go beyond merely colleagues and casual dates – and I was, to be honest. But when he found out my two friends getting married were both _male_, he threw a fit. Went all self-righteous on me and all but ordered me not to go." She gave an unladylike snort. "Needless to say, that was the end of it. Jason and Tommy were my friends long before I met Roger, they are and will continue to be an important part of my life, and if he can't deal with the fact that I accept them just the way they are and am happy for them, good riddance."

"I'm sorry." Kim slipped an arm around her waist. "That must've been rough."

"Not as rough as what Jason went through with his folks, I bet." Aisha dredged up a rather wobbly smile. "But enough about me and Roger. Have you seen Jason and Tommy yet?"

"They came down for dinner last night with those of us who were already here," Kim said. "You're not gonna believe how great they look; talk about two absolute hunks!"

"Really? Even now?"

"You have no idea! They look almost better than they did in their uniforms way back when," Kim sighed dreamily. "Or in swim trunks."

Aisha grinned naughtily as she, too, recalled tight backsides and rippling abdomens covered by shiny spandex. _-Those chests weren't half bad all sweaty from working out or wet from swimming in the lake, either!-_She and her fellow female teammates certainly had been spoiled for choice with five gorgeous-looking males to ogle during their time as Rangers. Still, it wouldn't do to let any of the guys know just how much they'd 'appreciated' their physiques during hot summer nights in one or the other's bedroom.

"Stop drooling, Kim; you're a married mother of two," Aisha reminded her, dark eyes gleaming.

The petite brunette snickered and winked. "So? That doesn't mean I'm dead or can't look. But I'm glad Kevin's here to stop me from embarrassing myself," she whispered conspiratorially. "Here's your door, though; our suite is down that way," she pointed. "A whole bunch of us – all former Rangers – are going to meet at the bar an hour before the ceremony. Join us there when you're ready?"

"Sure. Seeya." Feeling much better than on her lonely flight from Atlanta, Aisha let herself into the comfortable room to freshen up and change into her wedding finery.

•••

Eric was listening to the conversation between Wes, TJ, Carter and Dana when he noticed that the festively-clad crowd in the Harbor Inn's reception room began to drift towards the terrace. He unobtrusively checked his watch, looked around for their hosts and saw Jason and Tommy standing by the stone railing, a middle-aged official-looking stranger next to them. He grinned and nudged his partner meaningfully.

"I think it's going to start," he murmured and jerked his head towards the group when several pairs of eyes swiveled towards him.

"Oh my, yes," Trini smiled. "Where are the kids?"

"The last time I saw them, they were near the door," Kat replied, looking around anxiously for her son and daughter. "Yes, over there; they're playing with the Trueheart boys."

That started a general scramble of parents looking for their offspring. Most of them were gathered in one corner of the room where a thoughtful manager had set up a play area with coloring materials, assorted toys, a box of Legos and a stack of comics. Soon, every couple had corralled their children and joined the other guests outside. The Scott and Oliver relatives were seated right at the front; all former Rangers present, their spouses and children occupied the next four rows. Behind them came the rest of the guests – Anton Mercer, colleagues and other, more casual friends of both men.

Tommy was joined by his brother, and Billy came proudly forward to stand with Jason as witness.

"Are you ready?" he asked his oldest friend under his breath. Billy vividly remembered his own wedding day; it had only been thanks to Jason's calming influence that he hadn't been a complete nervous wreck despite his conviction that he was doing the right thing. Now was his chance to return the favor, but by the look of things he wouldn't have to deal with frazzled nerves. Jason's dark eyes were serene and focused solely on Tommy as he nodded.

"Absolutely."

Across from them, Tommy was smiling at a whispered remark from David, but his eyes, too, were firmly fixed on his best friend and lover, the expression in them an exact mirror to Jason's. The emotions arcing between them were easy to identify, and Billy had to quell a sudden urge to withdraw. _-It's as if they are alone in a world of their own.__Surely no stranger, friend or no friend, should intrude on this!-_He mentally shook himself, calling to mind that he was here at their request – and that he had an important task to perform. Unobtrusively, Billy patted his pocket – yes, the ring was where it was supposed to be. He hid a grin when he saw David do the same.

Further conversation was prevented by the magistrate clearing his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please?"

The crowd quieted, and the ceremony began. All went well until Billy and David were asked to produce the rings and place them on a small, lacquered tray of ancient Asian design Trini had brought from home. It was black with a gilt edge and decorated with two intertwined dragons – one red and winged, the other a green wyvern. Both Jason and Tommy had instantly loved the symbolism when she showed it to them and agreed that it would be most fitting for the purpose.

Suddenly, Rocky came forward, reaching for the ersatz salver. He wasn't wearing any kind of clerical garb, just a plain black suit with a regular shirt and tie, but a small silver cross pinned to his lapel still gave away his calling. "If I may?"

"Certainly, Father," the official murmured, a little taken aback. Why was a priest even attending a same-sex marriage? The law might have changed this year to allow it, but the Catholic church's dogma hadn't – not yet, anyway. He took a step backwards, curious to see what would happen next.

Rocky closed his eyes briefly, praying for courage. What he was about to do wasn't exactly forbidden, but it _would _be a professional as well as a personal risk. Still, he felt strongly enough to say what he felt he had to, regardless of any consequences. He looked up once more and faced the crowd.

"We are here to celebrate the fact that Jason Scott and Tommy Oliver are about to join their lives," he began. "As a Catholic and an ordained priest I should not condone the union of two men. As their friend, however, I can and do wish them well." There were some murmured comments and a smattering of applause from the assembled guests. Rocky squared his shoulders and stepped out on a rather shaky limb. He first sought out Tommy's, then Jason's eyes. "Jase, Tommy – I know we don't even share the same faith, and you know why I can't give you any kind of official approval, but if you'll allow it, I'd still like to bless your rings at least," he requested softly.

Surprised and moved beyond words, Jason and Tommy nodded their agreement. Rocky paused to gather his thoughts one last time, held his right hand over the tray and finally spoke freely and from the heart, his voice gradually gaining strength with every word.

"In almost every marriage ceremony I have ever performed, I usually pray that the couple will share love, steadfastness, and trust. I don't need to do that today. In all the years I have been privileged to know Jason and Tommy, they have demonstrated and _proved_ all that and more, both towards each other and to those they care about. If one knew to look deep enough, it was there for all to see right from the start.

"My friends … you don't need words or a piece of paper to make what binds you visible to all, yet chose to do it anyway. You have invited us here to witness your commitment to each other."

Before his courage deserted him, Father Rocky DeSantos signed a cross over the tray and the two white-gold bands lying in the center.

"In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul tells us in verse 13, 'If I do not have love, I am nothing, have nothing. Love doesn't rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.' It is my personal belief that these rings are a true symbol of a love great enough to transcend all boundaries. May the Lord bless them and protect what they stand for."

He finished with a soft 'Amen' that was echoed by almost everyone present, then handed the rings back to Billy before going back to his seat. Both Rachel Oliver and Helen Scott had tears in their eyes, expressing their thanks for an act of pure friendship by gratefully touching Rocky's sleeve as he passed them. He just smiled and nodded, pleased that they seemed to understand why he'd chosen to couch his slightly unconventional blessing in the most neutral way possible.

Up front, the magistrate cleared his throat and resumed the ceremony. "Please place these rings on each other's hands and repeat after me: 'I, Thomas Oliver, take you, Jason Lee Scott …"

Tommy recited the vow steadily, took one band and slipped it on Jason's hand with fingers that shook only slightly.

Then it was Jason's turn. "I, Jason Lee Scott, take you, Thomas Oliver …" He picked up the remaining ring, sliding it smoothly past the knuckle on the fourth finger of Tommy's hand.

They laced their fingers together and Tommy impulsively lifted their entwined hands to kiss the ring bearing Jason's name.

"Forever," he said softly but clearly.

Nearly overcome with happiness, Jason did the same.

"Always," he replied, his voice deep and sure.

Billy heard suppressed sniffles from the audience and had to swallow to hide his own feelings. It wasn't _quite _the traditional 'you may now kiss the bride/groom', but no less meaningful or heartfelt. Automatically, he looked towards his own wife and saw Trini dab her eyes with a wispy bit of lacy handkerchief, a bright, happy smile on her face. Next to her, Kim was clinging fiercely to her husband's arm, quite obviously in a similar state. _-As are Kat, Tanya, Aisha and Hayley …- _Billy was recalled to his surroundings when the magistrate spoke the final, all-important words.

"I now declare this union legal. Congratulations, gentlemen."

•••

A general reception line formed, then the guests separated to pre-assigned tables. After several speeches and dinner, Jason and Tommy began to mingle with everybody. Tommy joined a group of colleagues with Hayley and Anton Mercer while Jason sat down among their friends with a satisfied sigh.

"God, I'm glad the speeches are over," he groaned comically. "Zack, I could've killed you for dredging up all that stuff from our school days! You made it sound as if Tommy and I were the worst pranksters ever!"

The former Black Ranger snickered. "Blame your sick sense of humor, Jase!"

"Oh, please – I wasn't _that _bad!"

"Yes, you were," Kimberly giggled, ignoring his muttered protest. "And Tommy was only too happy to be your sidekick! I especially liked the story when you two made half the football team pee their beds during the team's pre-season training camp!"

Trini laughed. "Oh my, I wish I could've been there! Some of those guys needed taking down _so _bad, and that was the perfect way to do it! How on earth did you come up with that plan?"

"Well, a certain someone who shall remain unnamed mentioned one day that caffeine and a heavy meal before going to bed, plus stress, can cause a loss of bladder control," Jason smirked. "We sure were stressed enough by what coach had put us through on the field that day – so we claimed we wanted to celebrate Tommy's success as the new quarterback, made sure that everybody had a huge amount of cola with dinner and threw in lots of chips and candy bars. All we had to do was wait until everybody was fast asleep, turn on the taps in the bathroom for additional, um, 'encouragement', and voilà!"

"Mean – but I like it," Tanya grinned. "Makes me wish Shawn had played football instead of baseball. Something like that would've served him right!"

Justin raised an eyebrow, then turned towards Adam. "Are you _sure _one of those evil Space Aliens who used to attack Angel Grove before you graduated didn't switch your wife with one of their minions?" he asked in a deceptively casual tone, being circumspect for the sake of those spouses and significant others to whom their shared past as Rangers was still a secret. Adam quirked his trademark half-smile and shrugged.

"Sometimes. Other times, not so much." Both men ducked hastily when Tanya quickly balled up two napkins and lobbed them at their respective heads with deadly accuracy. Unfortunately for her, though, the pieces of cloth unfolded halfway across the table to flutter down harmlessly before they hit their intended targets.

"Ooh, you – ! Just wait until we're home, I'll get you for this," she threatened her husband, who caught her hand and kissed the back.

"I certainly hope so," Adam murmured, making Tanya blush and everybody laugh. Further down the table, Kira, Conner, Ethan and Trent shared delighted grins. They'd suspected that Dr. O.'s friends were a cool bunch – how could they not, having all been Rangers – but had had no idea that they would have so much fun around them. Or be accepted at equals, not only by Tommy and Jason's friends, but as well by those Rangers from other teams who had come to the wedding.

"I never completely bought that 'once a Ranger, always a Ranger' stuff," Conner had remarked quietly to Trent earlier. "Guess after today I'll have to."

"Man, I thought prep school and frat pranks at college were bad." Wes shook his head in amused disbelief. "You guys make me wish Dad had sent me to a regular high school instead." Next to him, Eric cleared his throat. "Of course, then I'd probably never have known that Eric could be much nicer than he wanted us to believe at first," he added rather sheepishly, sending his partner an apologetic look which Eric accepted with a barely-visible nod. Jason smiled when he caught the two touching hands, remembering how his own opinion of the Quantum Ranger had changed over the years and how much the friendship of the older couple had come to mean to him and Tommy.

"The best thing was that everybody wanted to blame Bulk for the prank, but knew that he just wasn't smart enough to come up with it," Zack resumed the topic when the group had quieted down again. "That took real genius."

"Gee, I wonder who had _that_," Kat said innocently, carefully notlooking at Billy, who nonetheless blushed and ducked his head.

"And here I thought you were all so nice and good. I wonder, Cathy – are there similar stories about you that I haven't heard yet, eh?" André Beaumaris chuckled, his words laced with a faint French-Canadian accent.

"I was always a model of decorum, _chéri_," Kat claimed with a wide-eyed look. "Just ask everybody!"

"Careful, Kat – I've heard things about _my _wife that made me think more than once that the goody-two-shoes reputation you guys had was so much hogwash," Kevin Sorenson, Kimberly's husband, grinned. "If you know whom to ask the right questions, anyway!" Immediately, half the gang tried to protest their innocence and the other half started with more 'do you remember when' stories. Kevin held up both hands in a warding-off gesture. "Stop! I don't wanna know," he laughed. "It's probably safer that way!"

"You may be right," André concurred, sending his blonde wife an amused glance. "It is better for us to keep _some_ illusions, _n'est-ce pas_?"

Laughter branded up around the table once more, and Jason leaned back in his seat, grateful that they could share this special day with these special people. Eric, Wes, TJ, Dana and Carter Grayson fit in as if they'd known each other for ages, as did Tommy's last team despite the difference in age. Not for the first time he wished that life hadn't scattered them so far apart to make reunions a rare treat – no new friends had ever achieved the kind of closeness that existed among them. Unfortunately, Jason knew he'd have to move on to another table soon, but that couldn't be helped; it was their duty as both hosts and guests of honor to spend time with all of their guests. Across the room, Tommy was already joining another group. First, though, he intended to share a glass of champagne with his friends. He signaled a waiter and asked for refills all around.

Once everybody had been served, Jason raised his glass. "Thanks for being here, guys," he said with warm sincerity. "Today wouldn't be the same without you."

"Hear, hear!"

The toast complete, Jason reluctantly got to his feet. "Sorry, but I need to see some other people," he apologized. "Later, okay?"

"Sure, Jase," Rocky told him. "We're not going anywhere."

"Didn't think you would," Jason grinned. "And ladies, the dancing will start soon; save one for Tommy and me?"

"Of course," Kimberly promised. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

•••

Some time later that night, Jason was taking his turn on the dance floor with Kat. He appreciated how the lovely blonde effortlessly followed his lead, and smiled down at his partner. "Having fun?"

"Oh yes," Kat replied. "It's so great to be able to enjoy a party and not have to worry about the children. Since my parents returned to Sydney and André doesn't have close family, it's always a problem what to do with them when we're going out. I don't like imposing on our housekeeper in the evenings, and I try not to leave them with a sitter unless it's unavoidable. Thanks for arranging this with David's neighbor; I just hope they'll be all right."

"The kids'll have a great time," Jason reassured her. "David says Mark Runningdeer and his fiancée both come from large families and know how to keep them safe and busy."

They twirled and swayed for a few moments before Kat spoke again, a little more softly. "Agnès was so disappointed when she found out there wasn't going to be a bride," she said, a twinkle in her eyes. "Her best friend's aunt got married a couple of months ago, Janine got to be a flower girl and has been bragging about it ever since. When Agnès understood that there would be two grooms, she probably thought there would be double the amount of rose petals, fairy-tale gowns and floating veils."

"Looking forward to one-up her playmate, huh?"

"Most likely," Kat replied dryly. "She's certainly gone mad with dressing up her dolls and worrying that her own party dress was pretty enough. It just took a while to convince her that in spite of a definite lack of lace and tulle yours was still a very real and wonderful wedding."

"Yeah, well, I doubt a veil and sweeping gown would've suited either Tommy or me," Jason deadpanned.

"No, I guess not," she giggled.

Her own society wedding had taken place in the grandiose Basilica de Nôtre Dame in Montréal, with half a dozen bridesmaids and lots of designer fashions, including her gown and her husband's tuxedo, but in her decidedly biased opinion the view of the harbor from the terrace where Jason and Tommy had exchanged their vows had been just as magnificent. The classic dark suits, white shirts and not-quite identical red silk ties they were wearing, combined with their dark good looks and splendid physiques, also made up for a _lot _of missing sartorial splendor. More importantly though, everybody present had sensed their deep commitment to each other.

"At least none of us women needed to fear outshining the bride," Kat added laughingly. "I hope my budding fashion-plate of a daughter will come to appreciate that eventually. Besides, it'd be hard to find grooms anywhere who are as drop-dead gorgeous as you two!"

Jason felt his ears redden at the compliment and chose not to comment, letting his expression grow serious instead as he drew her a little closer. "You're doing a great job with your kids," he murmured, picturing her son and daughter. André was brown-eyed with dark hair, but only Laurent, younger than his sister by a year, shared both those traits. The girl, named after the grandmother who had raised Kat's husband after his parents died young, had inherited Kat's blue eyes instead. "Both of them."

"Thank you, Jason," Kat whispered, sudden tears in her eyes. "That means a lot, coming from you."

"Hey, don't cry," he soothed her. "Tommy and I always knew you would be a terrific mother, and André is a good father. When I think of all the trouble you went through to have children at all ..."

"It was hard," she conceded, thinking back six years to a lot of heartache, disappointment and difficult decisions. Banishing the painful memories, she resolutely met his warm look. "Jase, I wanted to tha-"

"Don't," he interrupted her gently but firmly. "We promised each other we'd never talk about it again, remember?"

"Well, yes, but –"

"No buts. The four of you are a happy, normal family who love each other very much. That's all that counts."

"D-do you mean it?"

"Absolutely," he declared with conviction. "And I know Tommy thinks the same. So forget it, okay?"

A tremulous smile curved Katherine's lips. "I couldn't possibly, but I'll try."

"Good," Jason smiled back, noticing that the music had switched to a slow English waltz. It gave him the perfect opportunity to change the subject. "Now, how about we show everybody how to waltz properly?"

Laughing gratefully, Kat accepted his suggestion and shifted into the proper position. "Are you sure you still remember those ballroom classes you took in Geneva?"

"Just watch me!" With a flourish, Jason swept his friend and former teammate into the dance.

•••

Across the room, Kimberly was dancing more sedately with Tommy and watched the two a little enviously. "Jason's quite a good dancer," she murmured. "Especially with someone who knows what she's doing, like Kat."

"Are you saying I'm not?" Tommy mock-grumbled even as he silently acknowledged the truth of her observation. Jason _was _doing a much better job than himself, and Kat … _-Well, she's a pro. She can make__everyone__ look good!- _

Kim snickered impishly, her momentary funk already over. "Tommy, I used to love dancing with you, and Kevin is always willing to indulge me whenever I feel like it, but let's be honest here – neither one of you is exactly Fred Astaire!"

"Well, no," he had to admit, his eyes still following the other couple. Close as they were, Kimberly couldn't help but notice that he was watching Jason far more intently than his graceful blonde partner.

_-Well, duh!- _She squeezed Tommy's hand. "Why don't you dance with Jason?" she suggested impulsively. Tommy gave her a rather startled look and shook his head no. "But, but girls dance together all the time at weddings," she fumbled before he could say anything, "and there's nothing that says two guys can't, you're married now anyway, and I think it'd be _sooo _cute, and totally _hot_, and …" Kim gulped as she realized what she'd just let slip and felt herself blushing furiously. "Oh boy. You didn't hear I said that, okay?"

"Actually, I thought I'd ask you to repeat it a couple times," Tommy laughed, hoping his own heightened color wasn't visible in the mellow mood lighting on the dance floor. _-Kim thinks Jase and I together are hot? Aw, man!- _He fought the temptation to find out whether she had ever seen two men making love. The notion of being intimate with Jason in places where they might be observed had long turned him on, but admitting that to himself didn't necessarily mean he wanted his ex-girlfriend to be the one to catch them! _-Nevermind what Jase would say!-_Despite himself, Tommy felt blood rush to his groin and unobtrusively eased away from Kim a little lest she notice his burgeoning erection.

"No way! I'm mortified enough already," the petite brunette groaned, sneaking a peek at her tall dance partner. The laughter in the brown eyes told her he wasn't angry, and she breathed a silent sigh of relief, both continuing to sway gently to the music for a few seconds. As soon as Kim thought she had herself back under control again, though, her curiosity got the better of her once more.

"Um, anyway … I can see how that could go awkward and all, but haven't you ever_wanted_ to dance with Jason?"

"In public? No."

_-A-hah!- _ She almost gloated over having caught him at what she thought was a slip of the tongue. "But in private?" Kim asked with barely-concealed eagerness, only to find herself on the receiving end of an enigmatic smile. "Come on, Tommy," she wheedled. "I promise not to tell anyone – not even Trini," she promised. "Pretty please?"

"Jase and I don't dance," Tommy repeated calmly, but his voice belied the words. Predictably, Kim wouldn't let the matter rest.

"What, no touching to a melody at all? No moving together, no holding hands, no sneaking kisses to a nice beat – or possibly even more when the right song is playing? Neither one of you was ever shy about doing any of that with your girlfriends. I should know – I've been there when _we _were dating, and from before when Jase and I figured out we weren't ever meant to be more than just friends! Sorry, Tommy, but I don't believe you for a minute!"

"Oh, we do plenty of _that _alright," Tommy shrugged nonchalantly. "But we don't call it _dancing_."

"Oh yeah? It sure sounds like it to me," Kim challenged, coming to a halt along with the music. "What do _you_ call it then?" Her breath caught when Tommy's smile widened, growing blatantly sensual. Her eyes flew up to his and she gaped in astonishment when she saw the chocolate-brown irises darken in a way they had never done when they'd been together.

_-Oh my. That look is sexy as hell – as if he's about to seduce someone on the spot. Does he look at Jason that way when they're about to make love?- _Kimberly's imagination went into overdrive as thatparticular image released a horde of butterflies in her stomach, but her train of thought derailed when Tommy bent towards her, his lips barely brushing her cheek as he whispered a single word into her ear.

"Foreplay."

Heat suffused her from head to toe and she _knew _her face glowed as vibrantly pink as her dress when he left her with a knowing wink and a smile that was more than a trifle smug to join Jason. His arm slipped easily around the broad shoulders in a gesture that looked as innocent as the hugs they used to share in high school … yet at the same time managed to be intimate and very possessive. She also couldn't help noticing how naturally Jason fitted himself against the lean body as his own hand came to rest on Tommy's back, just above the swell of his butt.

"Oh, get a room already, guys," Kim muttered to herself, torn between exasperation and amusement as a certain look passed between both men that conjured up images of dimly-lit rooms, cool sheets and hot bodies in her mind. _-I'd bet all my medals __and__ my Power Coin that Jase and Tommy are planning on making sure their wedding night has __all__ the bells and whistles!- _

Kim pressed her hands against her still-hot cheeks, sternly telling herself to mind her own business. Then a slow grin spread over her face as an intriguing thought presented itself. Kevin and she had traveled here as a family and booked a two-room suite, but nine-year-old Josie and little Andrew had gone to the camp-out at Valencia Drive with all the other kids; they would have a nice, reasonably luxurious room and a fully-equipped bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub all to themselves, with no fear of interruption for once. She was also sure she'd seen a baby bottle of champagne in the mini-bar.

_-It would be a shame to waste the opportunity,- _Kimberly decided with sudden glee._ -And why should Jase and Tommy be the only ones to have some fun tonight?-_

Humming to herself, she went in search of her husband. What better way than some nice slow dancing to get him in the mood for … later? At least _they_ could do so in public without a second thought.

_-So you think dancing is foreplay, huh, Tommy? Let's see if you're right!-_

_To Be Continued … _


	23. This Is Our Night

**_Disclaimer: _**_The characters and everything else you recognize from PR do not belong to me; I'm just borrowing them from whoever owns them now to let them have some fun._

**_Note: _**_In response to the PRSW 22 challenge on LiveJournal; theme #07, fire. – As some of you already suspected, I'm sending the boys on their honeymoon. So yeah, it's PWP ahoy! For at least one more chapter, too! -evil grin- Neither the resort nor the location exist in reality; if they did, I'd have to put them at the top of my 'places to go before I die' list. _

_**Note II: **As I warned in the last chapter, this had to be considerably cut to maintain a halfway-honest T rating. If you want to read the full, explicit version, please look up the links in my profile. – Enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?_

**More Than Friends And Brothers**

**Chapter 23: This Is Our Night**

Jason and Tommy left Reefside at five p.m. the next day, after a wedding night that sadly fell way short of both their plans and expectations. But the party had gone on long into the night; when the newlyweds finally made it back home, exhaustion from a long, emotional day (and perhaps a few too many toasts drunk in their honor) had proved to be too much. Thus, they'd shared nothing but a few gentle, languid caresses, falling asleep wrapped closely around each other. In the morning a late, extended breakfast with their friends and those guests who had come from further away, while fun and very much appreciated, also left them with no private time to make up for missed opportunities. Finally, though, their destination was in sight; they could already make out the shore against the horizon.

"Almost there," Tommy murmured, placing a hand on Jason's wrist. They were standing side-by-side at the railing in the sailboat's stern as they approached the tropical island they'd chosen for their honeymoon. The afternoon sun reflected off his brand-new wedding band, and a smile spread over Tommy's face. It widened when Jason reached over and covered his hand with his own, the matching ring around his finger glinting softly.

"About time," Jason replied with a small sigh. "I'm getting sick of traveling."

"Understandable, what with all the stopovers."

"Uh huh. It's been worse than flying to Europe; at least Trini, Zack and I could sleep on the plane. I just hope it'll be worth it."

They'd had to spend the night at a motel close to the airport in Los Angeles to catch a very early-morning flight to Hawai'i that had taken a good eight hours in all. Their destination was a tiny, privately-owned island on the edge of the archipelago; there was no airport, just a regular, twice-daily ferry service from Honolulu. Due to a slight delay during a stopover in Arizona, they'd missed the ferry's outward morning run, so they'd chosen the alternative, a sailing boat. The leisurely pace and inherent romanticism certainly fit traditional notions of being on a honeymoon, but in retrospect both men thought it had been a mistake not to wait for the evening ferry or even stay overnight. The longer travel time on top of a two-hour time lag plus the strain of getting from the airport to the harbor to change transport mediums just wasn't worth it.

Tommy nodded in sympathy. It wasn't the longest journey he'd ever undertaken; the flight to Sydney back in high school had lasted eighteen hours, but at least that had been non-stop. _-Plus, getting to smooch with Kim most of the time made up for a lot!-_ He smiled at the nostalgic memory. _-Wish I'd known about the Mile-High Club back then. Not that Kim would've gone for something beyond petting, but today … I'd love to join with Jase!-_

As his groin tightened at the thought of having sex with Jason while flying, he briefly toyed with the idea of making up for lost opportunities somehow. _-Both Mercer Industries and Bio-Lab do have company jets …-_ Sanity chose that moment to reassert itself. _-It'd be one thing to borrow one of 'em in an emergency, but not for something like this. There's no way in hell I'd ask Wes or Anton for either of their respective planes for our private amusement, no matter how tempting the idea is!- _

Sharing more than a chaste kiss or holding hands during a regular flight was consequently, rather out of the question. Over twenty years may have passed, but there was still a significant difference between two teenagers surreptitiously making out under a shared blanket during the artificial 'night' and two grown men doing the same, new laws or not. Even Tommy's slight exhibitionist streak balked at the kind of possible exposure that being intimate in cramped economy seats would bring if they got caught.

Regretfully he remembered his two airborne Zords; if they'd already been lovers when he still had the Falcon, or the Phoenix, and if he'd known how to adjust the autopilot and make room in the cockpit … _-Well, shit. Guess some things just aren't meant to be.- _

"I'm sure it will, if the brochure was at least halfway accurate," he said instead, deciding to simply enjoy the trip regardless. Easy to do under the cloudless azure sky and the wind ruffling their hair as the gleaming white sails billowed over their heads and the boat dipped and rose with the smooth waves.

Jason chuckled and briefly touched his head against Tommy's cheek. "Think we can handle … well, everything?" They'd specifically chosen the resort for its clothing-optional policy.

Tommy glanced sideways at him. "As long as it's strictly 'look, don't touch', sure," he replied huskily, then lowered his voice so that nobody but Jason could hear him. "I don't care who's gonna see us in the buff; I can't wait to have you around naked, or nearly so, all day for two whole weeks."

A tiny flame lit up the midnight eyes. "Mm-hmm." Jason's lips curved into a smile full of promise, and opened slightly to show a hint of white teeth and a moist tongue tip flicking out for just an instant. Tommy suddenly found himself rather breathless as he imagined that talented organ running down his body right here on the deck, in the wind and sunshine, and had to ease away before he embarrassed himself by a too-visible reaction. Jason's eyes crinkled knowingly as they darted below his waistline, then he smirked and licked his lips again, more slowly this time. Tommy had to swallow hard.

"Tease," he murmured, a rough edge entering his voice.

"Yeah, and you know you love it. Don't go all prude on me now."

"'Who, me?" Tommy muttered, wishing he dared pinch the temptingly-close ass even as he fought to control his overeager hormones. "Just you wait, I'll show you how un-prude I can be!"

"I sure hope so," Jason replied softly, then winked at his husband. "Are we there yet?"

•••

Twenty minutes later, the boat docked at the island resort's small marina. After disembarking they climbed into an open-sided vehicle that carried them past a small cluster of employee housing through lush vegetation towards the crescent-shaped cove around which the gated, adults-only resort had been built. The entrance lobby and main facilities were situated slightly off-center; to the right was a traditional hotel, with a pool, landscaped grounds and several other entertainment areas. The bigger area to the left held single-storey bungalows instead; only the connecting paths between them were tended for easy access among the natural, lush vegetation.

"Aloha," a friendly clerk greeted them at the front desk. "Welcome to Hale Le'a Resort, gentlemen." Quickly and efficiently, he checked them in and handed over a folder. "This contains your key cards and access codes as well as all the necessary information you need to fully enjoy your stay," he told them. "If you have any questions about opening times, prices and so on that are not mentioned in here, please don't hesitate to contact Rangi at guest relations; you'll find his number on the top page. Enjoy your stay," he finished with a smile.

Jason looked around for their luggage and saw that it had already been loaded into a small cart out front, a driver waiting right next to it. Rather than stay in the main hotel area, they had booked one of the bungalows; the privacy and greater freedom was well worth the walk to the restaurants and other facilities. He nudged Tommy, and the open-sided vehicle rolled off almost as soon as they were seated. Within a few minutes, they arrived at a small building that was nearly completely hidden from view by tall bushes.

"I'll show you around, yes?" the driver asked hopefully, handing them their suitcases, but both men shook their heads as they climbed out of the cart.

"I'm sure we can manage," Jason smiled and handed a few bills to the young man whose face brightened at the generous tip. "But thanks anyway."

"Welcome," the employee grinned, jumping back into his cart. "Hana Hau'oli!"

"Whatever that means," Tommy murmured _sotto voce_, then added his own thanks. They watched him leave before Tommy led the way to the wooden door and typed the code number they'd been given into the electronic lock. The bungalow looked rather small from the outside, but once they passed through a small foyer, they found themselves in a surprisingly spacious and luxurious room. A king-size bed with some gauzy, golden-yellow fabric framing the four solid posts dominated the space, while a desk and TV, a refrigerator, chairs and an armoire with several drawers were scattered around the walls. The dark-stained wooden furniture contrasted nicely with the general color scheme of cream, green and antique gold, brightened by a few deep crimson accessories. A built-in closet and luggage rack were on the left side of the hallway; opposite that a door led into a maroon-tiled bathroom with double sinks, a roomy shower and a bath big enough for two. Tommy whistled appreciatively after peeking inside. "Wow, we even got water jets in the tub," he said, anticipating at least one long, leisurely soak with Jason. He received no answer, and it was only then that he noticed Jason hadn't followed him. "Jase?"

Tommy walked back into the main room and only saw Jason's jacket, thrown carelessly over a chair. Raising an eyebrow, he directed his attention towards the magnificent view through the wall-to-wall sliding doors to the wide, shaded lanai. On one side he could see a glass-topped rattan table and two matching chairs with deep cushions, perfect for intimate meals, and on the other were two loungers that just begged to be used for having leisurely drinks. As he'd halfway expected, Jason was standing at the bamboo rail guarding the step off the terrace, looking out towards the stretch of gleaming sand and water only a couple of hundred yards away.

_-You never change, Bro,- _Tommy thought with an indulgent smile as he shed his own jacket, ducked through the mosquito netting and went to join him. It was quiet out here, only the soft, distant rush of waves rolling onto the beach, the wind rustling the palm trees and an occasional bird call interrupting the stillness. From behind, Tommy folded Jason into a loose embrace and felt him lean back against his chest with a small, contented sigh.

"It's beautiful here," Jason murmured.

"Uh huh." Tommy minutely tightened his hold. Their bodies aligned more comfortably against each other as they soaked in the natural beauty of their surroundings, letting the atmosphere relax them gradually from the strain of the long journey.

"Not quite the isolated tropical island we dreamed about though, is it?" Tommy said softly, his eyes following a lonely surfer who was coasting along the beach, just a silhouette against the still-bright horizon. "We're a long way from the Caribbean; haven't even left the country …"

"No, it's not. But it's close enough to our fantasy to make almost no difference, and to be honest, I kinda like having some luxury, like food we don't have to prepare ourselves, a nice bed and shower, room service …"

"Well, yeah," Tommy smiled. "Still, I wish we could have gone to some place where we wouldn't have to consider anyone's sensibilities."

"Like being completely naked all day? You'd need to own your private island to get that, even in the Caribbean," Jason pointed out sensibly. Then he chuckled. "That's what you had in mind, right?" He turned his head to rub his cheek against the lean jaw. It was a little bristly and rough with five o'clock shadow, he noted absently, and suppressed a shiver at the thought of feeling it rasp against his skin later.

"And what's wrong with that?" Tommy mock-pouted. "Like you wouldn't have enjoyed it as well!"

"True, but on this side of the island, nobody's gonna care if we swim and sunbathe in the buff as long as we're halfway decent in the common, public areas. Isn't that enough?"

"Well, yeah, but …"

Jason laughed softly. "Stop complaining, Bro. At least we won't have to dress up to go to the restaurant." He slanted a sideways look at his husband. "We just gotta throw on some loose pants, a shirt … think of how easy it's gonna be to get rid of our clothes when we return," he suggested with a tiny leer.

"Way ahead of you, love," Tommy replied, sliding one hand up the broad chest in a slow caress until he could cup Jason's face and turned it towards his own. Midnight-dark eyes sparkled as Jason correctly read the desire in the chocolate-brown depths so close to his own. Obligingly, he let his head fall back against Tommy's shoulder, his tongue flicking briefly across his lips, leaving them moist and slightly parted in anticipation. The lure of the warm mouth was irresistible, and with a small smile Tommy bent to kiss him.

Sighing softly, Jason accepted the sensual strokes of Tommy's tongue against his own, letting him take control. Touch, taste and the familiar scent of the man he loved filled his senses to the brim until his head began to swim. Eventually, though, Jason reasserted himself, breaking out of the embrace just enough to turn and wrap his own arms around Tommy's back without ever losing contact with the gently-demanding lips.

"Mmm," Tommy hummed, gladly following Jason's lead when his mouth was being invaded in turn and coaxed to open wide as the kiss deepened. Breathing heavily, they finally broke apart, holding each other's gaze until a familiar fire lit Jason's eyes, but when Tommy slid one hand down the broad back to grasp the tight ass and tried to grind his swelling groin against Jason's hips, Jason shook his head 'no' and kissed him again, less intensely this time.

"Don't," he whispered.

Tommy frowned as he reluctantly moved his hand back up to Jason's waist. It was a rare thing for either of them to call a halt after a kiss like they'd just shared, especially with a bed close by. "But I want you," he murmured, slightly frustrated. _-It's our honeymoon, we're finally alone, and I'm horny!-_

"Ditto," Jason smiled, having a good idea of what was causing the slight whine in Tommy's normally even voice. A part of him wanted to give in, to succumb to what he was sure would evolve into hot, lusty sex, but another, more insistent part told him to wait.

"Then why …"

Jason cupped Tommy's face, stopping him mid-question. "Once we're in that bed, I have no intention of letting you get up again anytime soon," he explained huskily. "Certainly not before morning."

"Sounds like a great plan to me, so why …" Tommy found himself interrupted again by a rueful chuckle and a gentle finger brushing against his lips.

"Tom, I'm feeling a little grubby from traveling all day, we need to unpack and I'm hungry – I don't want to have to call room service for sandwiches in the middle of the night just because we can't wait a couple of hours now," the deep voice rumbled against the corner of his mouth. "I want to get all the small stuff out of the way, then have dinner with you. Afterwards, when there's no need to interrupt anything anymore, we'll shower together, and then … whatever you want," Jason promised. "Please?"

The suggestion made perfect sense, so Tommy reluctantly acquiesced and eased away from the sculpted body with a somewhat petulant sigh. "Okay."

"Thanks, Bro." He was rewarded with a slow, delicious kiss that almost threatened to get out of hand again. Laughing softly, Jason released him and stepped back. "I guess I'd better take my own advice, huh?"

"Yeah," Tommy found his sense of humor again as he saw that despite wanting to postpone their lovemaking Jason was no less eager than himself – if the visible bulge in his pants was anything to go by. "Just as long as we don't dawdle over dinner or something."

"Definitely not," Jason replied, skimming his hand teasingly across Tommy's chest. He came perilously close to a sensitive nipple, but stopped before Tommy's breath did more than hitch. Rolling his eyes at himself, Jason grimaced in amusement. "Come on, let's get unpacked and see whether there's something nice and cool to drink in the fridge."

•••

Not quite an hour later, they had stowed their belongings in all the right places. A closer inspection of the facilities showed that the fridge was stocked with their favorite beverages, their usual brands of soap, toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel were in the bathroom, and a generous supply of their preferred personal lube had been placed in both nightstand drawers – just as they'd specified in their booking. But a rather astonishing surprise waited for them inside the armoire.

"Wow," Jason whistled, surveying the various items neatly arranged in the drawers, in the top cabinet and on hooks at the back. "So that's why they're advertising this place as 'adults only'," he murmured. "Take a look at _that_!"

"What is it?" Curious, Tommy came over and felt his eyebrows rise nearly to his hairline. "Whoa!"

Starting with a selection of massage oils, vials of chemicals designed to increase performance, the array before them held everything a couple might possibly need – if one was open-minded and at least a little 'adventurous', up to a wide range of still-factory-sealed sex toys and restraints that just barely stopped short of bondage.

As Tommy stared at the cabinet's contents, fascinated almost against his will, his mind inadvertently flashed back to the first time Jason had truly indulged his penchant for slightly kinky sex and had slipped a butt plug into him. Tommy was honest enough to admit that, despite being undeniably surprised at first, he'd enjoyed letting go of a few more inhibitions when the mood was just right. Since that first time they had bought a few other toys, like massage oils and a wedge-shaped bolster like the one stored at the back of the armoire, but they had _never_ ventured into anything that required any of the implements displayed before them now!

_- This is why we've chosen Hale'Lea Resort for our honeymoon, after all!-_ However, deep down Tommy couldn't help but wonder for just an instant what it would be like to use some of the more out-there devices, to put a cock ring on Jason or use the soft leather straps to tie him to the bed. _-Or have Jase do it to me … no. No way. That's not our scene!-_

_ 'Not until now, anyway,' _a small voice at the back of his mind informed him dryly. _'Now that you've got the necessary stuff handy, what's stopping you?'_

Tommy chose to ignore his inner tormentor.

"I don't think I've seen most of that stuff anywhere but in sex shops, catalogues or on the internet," was all Tommy could think of saying. _-And even then only when we need to buy more lube!-_

"Uh huh," he heard Jason agree. "That's somecustomer service!"

"Yeah. Not that we'd need it, though, right?" he said lightly instead, not daring to look at his husband.

"'Course not." Determinedly closing and locking the armoire, Jason tried not to let on that his mouth had suddenly gone dry and his groin had tightened. Unable to meet the brown eyes, he did his best to appear casual, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. To his vast relief, Tommy was doing the same.

"Let's take a look at the beach, shall we?"

"Sure."

Both men put on comfortable slippers, collected their shades and went outside. Walking along a footpath made of wooden slats they passed a wide hammock that had been strung between two palm trees right on the edge of the sandy beach. Like the bushes in front, the copse also shielded the house from casual view, giving them privacy from this direction as well.

"That's gonna be nice for siesta after lunch," Tommy remarked idly.

"Yeah," Jason agreed, noting thankfully that his body was cooling down again to a more manageable level now that they were away from That Cabinet. "Or to relax on after a long swim. Definitely something to look forward to," he added, then impulsively kicked off his shoes and walked to the water's edge until shallow wavelets swirled around his ankles. Jason blissfully dug his toes deeper into the warm sand. "Man, I'm almost tempted to dive in right now," he sighed.

Coming up behind him, Tommy kissed his neck. "You'd only have to shower afterwards, and I can't guarantee that I'd let you leave the room once you're all wet and naked," he murmured, feeling his body react at the low moan Jason couldn't quite suppress. "I thought we agreed to wait for that until after dinner?"

As if on cue Jason's stomach rumbled. The mundane sound managed to dispel the rising passion between them, and both men chuckled.

"Right. Shall we go to the main complex, then? It's a bit early yet, but we could try and orient ourselves, check out the facilities and stuff …"

"Perfect. Let's go!"

•••

Back at the lobby, Jason and Tommy familiarized themselves with the resort's layout, signed up for a few activities, then picked a small seafood restaurant where they managed to secure a table overlooking the huge pool area and a terrific view of the setting sun while the place slowly filled with more guests, colored lights lit up everywhere once it turned fully dark and soft music drifted up from the main bar. Despite their earlier resolve not to, the newlyweds lingered over their wine, reminiscing about how good it had been to share the previous day with all of their friends and family. Jason took Tommy's left hand into his own, lightly caressing the back and wedding band with one thumb.

"This has to be the best time of my life," he said softly.

"You mean _our _lives," Tommy smiled and returned the gentle pressure.

"Of course." Jason agreed readily, then surprised him by lifting their joined hands to his mouth, turning it so he could kiss Tommy's palm.

"Jase?" Tommy murmured questioningly. He certainly didn't mind the small intimacy; they'd held hands over a table before, but his stomach fluttered when he felt Jason's tongue tip tickle moistly against his skin.

"Hmm?" The soft hum vibrated against the base of his fingers, right where the bi-colored band encircled the fourth, and Tommy's throat constricted with sudden need.

"Um, we're in public."

"So?" Jason's smile and the sultry look in his eyes evoked more sensations which then crawled all the way from Tommy's hand into his gut as the warm lips continued to caress his fingers.

"What if somebody sees what you're doing?" Tommy gulped, but couldn't bring himself to retrieve his hand. Not when his imagination was shifting into overdrive, producing images and memories of Jason kissing, nibbling and licking his way up and around another part of his anatomy – one that was coming eagerly to attention. _-I just might cream my pants if he keeps this up!-_

"I doubt anybody will care." The intimately low baritone sent familiar shivers down Tommy's spine. "We're hardly the only ones getting, ah, inspired by the atmosphere."

"We're not?"

"Nope. Just look around."

Indeed, a furtive glance over his shoulder showed that quite a number of the diners – couples all, both mixed and same-sex – were also holding hands or exchanging discreet caresses. In fact, two women who had checked in at the same time as they had were sitting not too far away, their arms around each other, feeding each other ice cream from a shared cup. As his gaze lingered on them for just a second, Tommy saw the shorter, more voluptuous one gently wipe off a white smudge from her slender companion's lower lip, then swirl her tongue around the fingertip with a look that was every bit as promising as the one Jason was giving him across the table. _-Oh. Oh!-_

With an effort, Tommy drew his eyes away from the shapely bodies, back to Jason. For the first time in years a fleeting fantasy of nude femininity flashed through his mind. _-Aw, man! What I wouldn't give to watch those two getting it on – that red hair spread over the blonde's breasts, or both going down on each other …- _ Hoping his inadvertent blush wasn't noticeable in the dim light, Tommy tried his best to ignore the tightening in his gut._ -We're on our honeymoon, for cripes' sake,- _he admonished himself silently. _-This is definitely the wrong time to be thinking about women, much less about them having sex!- _"I, uh, hadn't noticed," he said a little sheepishly.

Jason chuckled softly and kissed Tommy's palm again, more lingeringly this time. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," Tommy replied instantly.

"Didn't think so." Now that teasing tongue flicked out again, sliding sensually along the long, diagonal line in Tommy's hand down to his wrist, where Jason started to paint lazy, moist little circles on his pulse point.

Any treacherous thoughts he might've had only moments ago melted away as Tommy's full attention returned to Jason. With his free hand he touched the dark hair.

"Don't youthink we should take this somewhere else?" he murmured throatily. "Where we won't have to stop with … whatever we're about to do?"

"If that's what you want," Jason replied, lips moving against the sensitized skin in a final kiss. Then a devilish glint lit up his expression. "Unless you'd like some coffee; there's a very good Brazilian roast on the menu …"

For a few seconds, Tommy was tempted to say yes, he wanted to stay – if only to dole out some payback for the not-so-subtle seduction. If their situation were reversed, Jason just _might _take him up on such an offer – but the promise of something far more appealing than coffee was irresistible. Tommy reluctantly withdrew his hand. "Maybe tomorrow night," he rasped, sudden fire in his eyes. "Let's go."

•••

Turn-down service had come and gone while they'd been at dinner, so Jason and Tommy returned to their bungalow to find an inviting expanse of cream-colored sheets greeting them. A ceiling fan whirred noiselessly overhead, a bottle of wine was chilling next to the bed as they'd requested earlier, and a few candles had been lit around the room, flickering gently in red and amber votive containers. A light yet pervasive scent of tropical flowers permeated the air.

Jason couldn't help an amused chuckle as he took in the undeniably romantic atmosphere.

"What's so funny?" Tommy asked after he'd locked the door.

"This whole set-up," Jason gestured. "Seems kinda familiar, doesn't it?"

"Huh?" Slightly puzzled, Tommy glanced around, then the memory clicked and he groaned. "Don't remind me!"

"Why not?" Jason murmured, drew him into his arms and nuzzled against the strong jaw. "I mean, just look at it – candles, turned-down bed, wine ready and waiting … all that's missing are our red sheets. I told you at the time I thought it was hot, remember? Until we nearly set your house on fire, that is," he couldn't resist adding with a cheeky wink. "Wasn't this kind of the effect you were going for at the time?"

"Well, yeah, but …"

"At least now we know what to do. There won't be any fumbling or figuring out what goes where tonight." Jason's voice had deepened to its lowest register, and large hands glided down Tommy's back to cup his ass, their touch sensual and sure as he drew their bodies close.

"True." Tommy laughed ruefully, then relaxed into the embrace and bent his head for a slow, long kiss which Jason returned with abandon. "The only question is who gets to be on top," Tommy whispered once they stopped for air. Jason shivered deliciously and kissed him back.

"Why don't we find out?"

•••

They began to undress each other with slow, languorous movements, gently caressing each inch of skin as soon as it was revealed. Buttons seemed to slip out of their holes almost magically, shirt flaps were pushed aside with appreciative little moans to reveal smoothly-muscled chests, and belt buckles opened with nary a sound. Jason was the first to undo the zipper on Tommy's chinos, sliding the light fabric down the narrow hips along with the even softer cotton of Tommy's black boxers and let his hands rest on the gentle swell of his partner's butt cheeks as Tommy stepped away from the puddled fabric.

"Your turn," Tommy murmured, leaning in for yet another kiss. He managed to open Jason's fly just as deftly and worked his hands past the elastic of his underwear to fill them with Jason's taut behind. It was slightly more difficult to draw the tight briefs down due to the already prominent erection, but he did so with the ease of long practice. Once they were both naked, they stopped momentarily to kiss once more and to look their fill.

Both men had started to exercise more once they'd set their wedding date, wanting to look their best for the occasion … and each other. They'd even treated themselves to a full spa session a week ago, getting body waxes, pedicures and massages; as a consequence they now once again sported the washboard abs and defined pectorals of their younger years. Jason smiled his appreciation as he lightly skimmed his fingertips across the smooth chest and back, setting nerve ends on fire with each fleeting touch. Tommy did likewise, alternating gentle squeezes with cautious scratches so that Jason groaned with delight.

"Let's go take that shower," Jason suggested huskily after several minutes of mutual teasing and exploration.

"Sure."

Arms around each other, they went into the sumptuous bathroom and stepped into the glass-shielded cubicle. There was more than room enough to for two, and once they had set the water to a temperature they both found pleasing – neither too hot nor too cold – they moved under the gentle spray. Practice _had _made perfect, so they knew how to kiss and nibble without choking on rivulets of water; in fact, the warm moisture only enhanced the gliding of skin against skin.

Jason moaned softly when Tommy squirted some of the pleasantly-scented shower gel from a wall-mounted dispenser and started lathering his back.

"Mmm." He arched sinuously under the roving hands, their touch gentle yet sure.

"Like that, huh?" Tommy murmured, a smile in his voice.

"Oh yeah. Is it my turn yet?" The midnight eyes were half-closed, but their sparkle was clearly visible through the wet, dark lashes.

"In a while," Tommy replied, chuckling at Jason's barely-concealed eagerness. Experience had taught them that not only was it more efficient to alternate washing each other, but that they would also gain the most pleasure in the process. "You're always so impatient!"

"I want you," Jason shrugged, completely unapologetic. "And you always take a bloody eternity at this."

"Don't tell me you're not loving every second of it," Tommy grinned, hooked a hand behind Jason's neck and caught the full lips in a deep kiss. Simultaneously, he dropped his other hand down Jason's back and slipped a slick, soapy finger between the tight cheeks. Jason moaned around the tongue plundering his mouth, and started to grind himself into Tommy's groin. The friction of coarse, wet pubic hair against his sensitized skin excited him even more, and he began to squirm in earnest at the double stimulation.

Tommy continued the twin assault as long as it took him to be reasonably sure Jason was thoroughly cleaned, then gradually changed from outright foreplay to a gentler, less demanding touch. Done at last, he drew his partner into a full hug and kissed him once more.

"_Now _it's your turn, Bro," he murmured, his own nerve ends already quivering with anticipation of Jason's caresses.

"About time," Jason mock-grumbled, but obligingly went for the shower gel as well. He breathed deeply to curb his arousal, the subtle scent of lavender, old leather and something woodsy surrounding them as he worked up a fine lather. Methodically, Jason moved downwards from Tommy's shoulders to the small of his back. Hiding a tiny smirk, he then scooped up a handful of lather and began to rub it sensually into the muscled chest, paying close attention to the small nipples. As he knew it would, that caused an immediate reaction.

"God, yeah," Tommy breathed, arching his shoulders backwards as the sensitive nubs began to harden and swell. The slippery gliding of Jason's strong fingers over every inch of his skin soon had him moaning deep in his throat, and he shifted and turned into each caress until he felt as if he would explode any second.

Panting with arousal, he dragged heavy eyelids open. "I'm clean enough now," he rasped, already reaching for the shower handle. Jason smirked knowingly. He could probably drag this out for a few minutes more, but by now he was aching to take the hard shaft throbbing against his thigh into his mouth – and he didn't think Tommy was going to object.

"If you say so," he murmured, shaking water out of his eyes before claiming another kiss as they quickly rinsed each other off.

Once they were out of the shower and standing on the thick bath mat, Tommy grabbed a large towel and wrapped it around the broad shoulders, wiping off most of the moisture on Jason's chest and back until he was reasonably dry. Jason then returned the favor, starting with the short brown hair. When the towel slipped down below Tommy's hips Jason followed, slowly sinking to his knees before his partner. His face now level with Tommy's crotch, he dropped the towel and took a firm hold of his behind, steadying himself as well, and glanced up.

"Watch me," he commanded softly.

Dry-mouthed with anticipation and arousal, Tommy could only nod, shuddering at the heat in Jason's half-lidded gaze and the slow strokes of strong hands on his thighs – first down on the outside, then up again on the less-hairy inside, sending little darts of desire into his gut. Eventually Jason nuzzled into the patch of dark hair, breathing in the scent of clean skin and arousal that was uniquely Tommy. He kissed every straining inch, marveling as always at how smooth and satiny the pulsating hardness felt against his lips. He was still holding the brown eyes with his own when he finally, slowly opened his mouth wide and guided Tommy inside.

Tommy moaned as familiar wet heat engulfed him. He couldn't help himself – his head fell back and he closed his eyes momentarily in sheer bliss, but forced himself to look down again almost instantly. The sight of those firm lips wrapped around him was as thrilling as ever, and the churning in his belly intensified. The sight of Jason kneeling before him was incredibly exciting; so was the feel of the supple tongue licking and sucking until nearly his whole length was buried in the greedy mouth. Swaying slightly, Tommy reached out and threaded both hands through the short, dark hair, holding Jason still for several heartbeats. The need to thrust into that talented mouth was nigh overwhelming, but before Tommy could do more than rock his hips once Jason took control of the situation. He bobbed his head back and forth until he could feel Tommy's imminent orgasm.

Inhaling deeply through his nose, Jason prepared to start sucking in earnest, but much to his surprise Tommy cupped both his cheeks in a mute plea to stop. Questioningly he looked up into the chocolate eyes. Visibly flushed and breathing hard with arousal, Tommy nevertheless withdrew from the clinging lips, indicating with a touch to Jason's shoulder that he wanted him to get up.

"Why'd you make me stop?" Jason's low voice was rough as he reluctantly obeyed. "I want you to come in my mouth!"

Tommy embraced Jason firmly, smiling at his obvious disappointment. "Don't worry, I will," he promised. "Just … not here."

"Oh." With dawning understanding, Jason found his own smile. Tommy was right, the bathroom wasn't exactly the most romantic spot for the first proper lovemaking on what was, after all, their honeymoon. Not when a wide bed beckoned which _had _to be more comfortable for both than the bath mat. "Next door, then?"

"Exactly," Tommy agreed, his smile deepening. He bent to pick up both their towels, then tossed them into the wicker basket in one corner. "Come on …" He slipped an arm around Jason and guided him back into the bedroom, switching off the bathroom light on the way.

As they reached the foot of the bed, Jason was a little surprised that Tommy maneuvered him around until the mattress hit the back of his knees. A gentle shove, and he was sitting down.

"What the …"

"Ssshhh," Tommy shushed him, bending forward for a deep kiss. "I promised to come in your mouth, and I will," he whispered against Jason's lips afterwards. "Just let me take care of you a bit first. Okay?"

"Okay," Jason agreed, feeling his own pulse beginning to race. "How?"

"Lie back," Tommy instructed with a sultry grin, knelt and grasped both of Jason's knees, spreading the muscular thighs as wide as he could with gentle force. He then began his own, just as thorough oral assault until the whole of Jason's length glistened moistly. Jason groaned out loud when he felt himself engulfed by wet heat, his hands balling into fists on the smooth bed covers. Tommy took a firm hold and fell into a familiar rhythm, letting Jason's blissful moans and the trembling of his abdominal muscles and thighs guide him to gauge the level of his excitement.

Only when he thought Jason might climax any second did Tommy release him and crawled onto the bed as well.

Jason was gasping for air as he tried to control his raging hormones; turning his head, he directed a slightly accusatory look at Tommy.

"Why'd you stop?" he murmured. "I was _so _close …"

"I know," Tommy replied, slipping an arm under the broad shoulders as he settled next to Jason. "But I thought you wanted to suck _me _off?"

Jason shrugged, a sheepish smile curving his lips. "Well, yeah. It's kinda easy to forget when you're getting me all hot and bothered, though." He aligned himself more comfortably against Tommy, their erections almost brushing each other. He ran gentle fingers from Tommy's hair down his neck, across his collarbone and further down until he reached one nipple and started teasing the sensitive nub with careful pinches and twists. "I wouldn't have forgotten about you, though."

"Didn't think you would," Tommy said, a tiny hiss escaping him as desire flashed from his chest directly into his groin. "Shit, yeah …"

Jason chuckled smugly and let his hand wander to the other nipple. "So can I do you now?" he asked huskily, licking his lips. It wasn't going to be easy to wait his turn now that he'd felt Tommy's mouth on him, but he'd promised, and …

"How about we do each other?" Tommy interrupted his thoughts. "Like we did our first time …"

•••

Both men used every skill they'd acquired over the years to prolong their lovemaking, letting themselves be guided by moans and quivering muscles to keep each other on the brink of orgasm as long as they could. They took turns taking the lead, neither wanting to be the first to lose control – even though they knew that their climax would be nothing short of spectacular, more than worthy of a wedding night.

However, control and stamina would only go so far. Jason fell over the edge first, followed only moments later by Tommy. When the last spasms had subsided, they still continued to gently lick and nibble on the other's softening flesh until they both went completely limp, using the time to let their heartbeats resume a more normal pace. At last they released each other with faint sighs of regret, settling into a loose embrace.

Completely sated and happy, Tommy gazed deeply into Jason's glowing eyes.

"That was … wow," he whispered, awe in his voice. "You've always given me fantastic blowjobs, but tonight was …" At a loss for words, he gave up trying to describe what he'd felt and settled for a long, tender kiss.

Jason responded in kind. "Ditto," he murmured afterwards, smiling at Tommy's slightly-dazed expression. "Tonight was the _best_. Ever."

"Yeah." Gingerly, Tommy extricated one leg from underneath Jason's, thankful for the slight breeze coming through the open patio door that cooled their sweat-slicked skin. Then he quirked a whimsical grin. "We've sure come a long way since that first time."

"Have we ever," Jason chuckled. "At least you've learned not to fall asleep on me right after I've made you come!"

"Are you ever gonna let me forget that?" Tommy mock-groused.

"Not as long as you go on making me feel as good as I do now."

"Hmph."

"Love you too."

Both laughed, then Tommy stretched luxuriously, rolling his head back and forth on the pillow. Catching sight of the wine beside the bed, he looked a question at Jason. "Drink?"

"Nah," Jason replied, his voice low and intimate as he trailed one hand across Tommy's chest. "I like the taste of you in my mouth."

Despite having had a phenomenal orgasm less than fifteen minutes ago, Tommy felt a fresh stab of desire pierce his belly and caught his breath.

"Jase …!"

A familiar flame lit the midnight eyes. "What?" Jason murmured provocatively. "Even if it's a day late, tonight's our wedding night; don't tell me we're done already?"

"Well, no, but …"

"If I remember correctly, we promised each other to make it special – and while we're off to a great start, I think it's gonna need more than just one blowjob to really qualify as 'special', right?"

"Well, if you put it _that _way," Tommy drawled, easily overcoming his surprise. With a sly grin of his own, he slid one hand across Jason's hip towards his behind. His grin widened when the round muscle flexed instinctively under his fingers … and was that a twitch from Jason's groin? He slanted a look downwards between their bodies.

_-Yup, definitely a twitch.-_

Tommy reached for Jason, gently stroking up him and down with his thumb and forefinger. Jason moaned appreciatively and lay back, giving him more room to explore even as he began to play once more with Tommy's nipples.

"Oh yeah," Tommy breathed as the frisson of excitement he'd felt earlier intensified. It would take some time for both of them to grow fully hard again – after all, they were not as young as they used to be – but with time had come the knowledge that the road to passion could be as rewarding as fulfillment.

_-Besides, we have all night!-_

"We have all night," Jason echoed his thought, leaning forward to kiss him. "Let's take our time, huh?"

"Sounds perfect to me," Tommy agreed, letting pure feeling take over. Tonight was _their _night; morning would come soon enough.

_To Be Continued ..._

**A/N: **_The name of my fictitious resort, Hale Le'a, and the greeting, Hana Hau'oli, are Hawaiian; they mean "joyous house" and "happy activity", respectively. However, le'a can also be translated as "orgasm" – rendering the resort's name as "Joyous Orgasm". In view of this chapter's subject matter, it seemed … appropriate. -evil grin- (Info gathered from a Wikipedia article on Hawai'i.)_


End file.
